BELTED PIPING PLOVER 89 
coverts are white. Tail dusky in the centre, 
outer pairs of feathers growing white. Wing 
quills dusky with whitish patches. Eyelids or- 
ange. Bill as in the last species but not so 
brightly colored. This species is also webbed 
between the middle and outer toes, but not to 
so great an extent as in the preceding. The 
Pale Ringneck is a trifle smaller than the Semi- 
palmated Plover. Both birds inhabit the in- 
land country as well as the coast, but in New 
England are rarely found away from the sea- 
shore. 
The bird at the right in the plate represents 
this species. 
THE BELTED PIPING PLOVER. 
(4igialitis meloda circumcincta.) 
This bird is so similar in his markings to the 
Pale Ringneck that one must be a very close 
student to detect the difference. He may per- 
haps be a little grayer in his tones. He is not 
so often taken on New England shores, his range 
lying more to the westward. 
The principal characteristic of this variety, 
which is of somewhat doubtful value in or- 
