154 THE GAME BIEDS AND WILD FOWL 



Family CHAEADEIID^. Genus Chaeadeius. 



Subfamily Ghabadriinm. 



AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER. 



CHAEADEIUS DOMINICUS.— P. L. S. Mitller. 



Charadrius dominicus, P. L. S. Miiller, Syst. Nat. Anhang, p. 116 (1776) ; Sharpe, 

 Handb. B. Gt. Brit. iii. p. 147 (1896 partim) ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxiv. 

 p. 195 (1896 partim). 



Charadrius virginicus (Licht.j, Gurney, Ibis, 1883, p. 198 ; Seebohra, Hist. Brit. B. iii. 

 p. 41 (1885) ; Seebobm, Col. Pig. Eggs Brit. B. p. 125, pi. 39 (1896). 



Charadrius fulvus americanus (Schlegel), Dixon, Nests and Eggs Non-indig. Brit. 

 B. p. 236 (1894). 



Geographical distribution — British: Two examples of the American 

 Golden Plover have been obtained in the British Islands, although, unfortunately, 

 the same remarks apply to one of them as to one of the examples of the Asiatic 

 species, viz., that it was obtained in Leadenhall Market (10th of November, 1882) ; 

 whence actually obtained, a mystery (Gurney, Ibis, 1883, p. 198). Fortunately a 

 second example is much more satisfactory, Mr. J. G. Millais recording (Zoologist, 

 1886, p. 26) a specimen obtained in Perthshire on the 3rd of August, 1883. 

 There can be little doubt that eventually others will be obtained, now that the 

 attention of naturalists and sportsmen is specially drawn to the subject. Foreign : 

 Northern Nearctic region and Southern Neotropical region in summer ; Intertropical 

 realm in winter. Of accidental occurrence only in Europe ; Heligoland (Seebohm, 

 Ibis, 1877, p. 165). It breeds in the Arctic regions of North America, above the 

 limits of forest growth on the tundras from Alaska to Greenland ; passes Canada, 

 the States, Bermudas (abnormally), West Indies, and, in smaller numbers, Cali- 

 fornia, on migration, and winters in the Neotropical portion of the Intertropical 

 realm. The breeding area of this species in temperate South America is not yet 

 determined, but there can be little doubt that the bird migrates southward to nest.* 



Allied forms. — charadrius pluvialis, and G. ftdvus, already treated of 

 in the two preceding chapters. 



Habits. — The habits of the American Golden Plover somewhat closely 

 resemble those of its Asiatic ally. Mr. B. W. Nelson writes as follows respecting 

 the present species during its summer sojourn in Alaska : " The males are 

 conspicuous objects as they stand like silhouettes, their black and white breasts 

 and sides of neck presenting a sharp, clear-cut outline on the brown and grey 



* Conf. The Migration of Biids, p. 218. 



