210 MICHIGAN BIRD LIFE. 
but the axillars always black. Young: Similar to adult in winter, but upper parts more 
or less speckled with buffy or pale yellow. Iris dark brown, bill, legs and feet, black 
Length 10.50 to 12 inches; wing 7.50; culmen 1.10; tarsus 1.95. 
115. Golden Plover. Charadrius dominicus dominicus (Muill.). (272) 
Synonyms: American Golden Plover, Bull-head, Golden-back, Black-breast, Field 
Plover, Prairie Pigeon.—Charadrius pluvialis, Wils., 1813, Sw. & Rich., Aud., Nutt.—C. 
virginicus, Licht., Cass., Baird.—C. fulvus var. virginicus, Coues, 1872. 
Plate XIII and Figure 66. 
In fall plumage similar to the preceding, but the upper parts usually 
show numerous spots of dull yellow or buffy white which gives it the name 
Golden Plover. Of course the absence of the hind toe will always separate 
it from the Black-bellied Plover. 
Distribution.—Arctic America, except coast of Bering Sea, migrating 
southward throughout North and South America to Patagonia. 
This bird is better known to sportsmen than most other shore birds 
owing to the fact that it is found in high dry regions, as well as along the 
shores and marshes. It is commonly seen in large flocks 
from September to November, but the larger number 
appear during the latter half of September and linger for 
a month or more. These appear to be mainly young of 
the year, and they are in the gray plumage characteristic 
of the young birds. It seems certain that the old birds 
pass south in August and early September, and that a 
large part of them travel along the sea coast, or even 
over the open sea, past Bermuda and the Lesser Antilles, 
to the north coast of South America. On the return trip 
in spring the great majority, young or old, travel west 
of the Mississippi River, and it is exceptional to meet 
with the species in spring anywhere in the eastern states. 
This is true also of Michigan, and although several ob- 
servers have reported it as seen in spring, I have not been 
able to find a spring specimen in any collection in the 
state, and it seems likely that these reports may be in- 
correct. It has been reported in the fall from nearly 
every point in the Lower Peninsula where we have 
correspondents, and it formerly was abundant about Fig. 56. Foot of Gol- 
Saginaw Bay and along the St. Clair and Detroit Rivers, Se een 
as well as on the west side of the state, and at several ; 
points in the interior, including Ingham and Kalamazoo counties. 
Sometimes the flocks are very large, several hundred or even a thousand 
birds feeding and flying together. They are apt to be wary and hard to 
approach, and gunners often use a horse, or a horse and wagon, for. ap- 
proaching them. They are always good eating, and especially so in autumn 
when they have fed for a few weeks on seeds, berries, and insects, at a 
distance from salt water. They are very swift in their flight, and when 
in migration flock after flock will pass over the most attractive country 
without alighting. Although they undoubtedly migrate at times by 
night, great flights have been seen by day, and on the plains of southern 
