PLOVERS. 



175 



This species frequents sandy beaches, mud-flats, and marshes; It 

 is found generally in small flocks of five or ten individuals, which, 

 unlike the Sand Oxeyes, do not feed in a compact body, but run raji- 

 idly about, independently of one another. When they take wing, 

 however, they close ranks at once and move as though governed by 

 one desire. 



Their simple, sweet, plaintive call is one of the most characteristic 

 notes heard on our shores. At noonday, when the heat waves are 

 dancing over the marshes and even the twittering Oxeyes are silent, 

 one may hear the cool, pure notes of this little Plover. They may be 



written f-Ar— ^ ^iF — . A third, shorter note is sometimes added. 



Even a whistled imitation of them takes me to the beaches. 



The EiNG Plover {275. ^gialitis Maticula), an OM-World species, is 

 found in Greenland. It is similar to the preceding but slightly larger, the 

 black band ou the breast is wider, and there is no web between the inner and 

 middle toes. 



877. .Sgialitis meloda (Ord). Piping Plovek. Ad. in summer. 

 —Upper parts pale whitish ashy ; forehead, under parts, and a ring around 

 the neck white ; front of the crown and a band ou eitlier side of the breast 

 black ; inner tail-feathers fuscous, outer ones becoming white. Winter plum- 

 age. — Similar, but the black replaced by brownish gray. L., 7-00; W., 4-75; 

 Tar., -85 ; B., -50. 



Range. — Eastern North America, breeding from Virginia to Newfound- 

 land ; winters from Florida southward. 



Long Island, not uncommon S. E., Mch. through Sept. Sing Sing, A. V. 



Eggs, three to four, creamy white, finely spotted or speckled with choco- 

 late, 1-24 X -95. 



The Piping Plover resembles the Eing-neck in habits but not in 

 notes. Mr. J. H. Langille writes that it " can not be called a ' whistler,' 

 nor even a ' piper,' in an ordinary sense. Its tone has a particularly 

 striking and musical quality. Queep, queep, queep-o, or peep, peep, 

 peep-lo, each syllable being uttered with a separate, distinct, and some- 

 what long-drawn enunciation, may imitate its peculiar melody, the 

 tone of which is round, full, and sweet, reminding one of a high key 

 on an Italian hand organ or the hautboy in a church organ. It is 

 always pleasing to the lover of Nature's melodies, and in the still air 

 of the evening it is very impressive." 



277a» .43. m. circumcincta Bidgw. Belted Piping Plover. — 

 Closely resembles the preceding, from which it differs in having the bands 

 m either side of the breast joined, forming a continuous breastband. 



Bangs. — Breeds from "northern Illinois and Nebraska northward to Lake 



