156 



NESTS AND EGOS OF 



of the sea. Common in Norway, and It has been met with in Lapland. Ttft eggs ot 

 this species are deposited in a slight depression In the sand, broken shells or shingles 

 above high-water mark. Four eggs are laid and their ground color is of a pale buff 

 or cream color; they are beautifully spotted with dark reddish-brown, approaching 

 black, here and there are obscure shell markings. Average size 1.41x1.00. Four eggs 

 from England, collected May 6, are in my cabinet and measure 1.36x1.00, 1.40x1.02, 

 1.43X.99, 1.42x1.00. 



[276.] LITTLE RING PLOVER, ^gialitis duUa (Scop.) Geog. Dist.— North- 

 ern portion of Eastern Hemisphere. Accidental on the coast of California and in 

 Alaska. 



The Little Ringed Dotterel or Little Ringed Plover breeds in the northern por- 

 tions of the Old World. This European species has less grounds for being included 

 in the North American fauna than the previous ones. Its general habits, nesting and 

 eggs resemble those of the Semlpalmated Plover, but the eggs, like the bird, are much 

 smaller. The average size of ten eggs in my collection is 1.19x.85. They are short 

 ovate In form, of a pinkish-buff ground color, finely speckled all over with brown. 



276, Little Ring Plover. 



277. P'IPIITG PLOVER. Mgialitis meloda (Ord.) Geog. Dist.— Chiefly th« 

 Atlantic coast of the United States, north to southern Labrador. In winter, West 

 Indies. 



The Piping Plover is an abundant species in the summer months along the 

 eastern coast of the United States, breeding from the Carolinas northward as far as 

 the Gulf of St. Lawrence. It is a graceful and attractive little species, possessing 

 a remarkably musical voice which can be heard as the bird moves gracefully over 

 th« sandy beaches. Its food is small marine worms, Crustacea, etc. During incuba- 

 tion it is said that the parents rarely sit upon their eggs, except at night and in 

 damp weather, but always remain in the vicinity and watch over their treasures with 

 solicitude. The eggs are four in number, pale buff, speckled with black and purplish 

 gray. In some the markings are very much more profuse than in others. The 

 average size of a large series (fifty In number) is 1.29x.95. Four specimens measuro 

 1.28x1.01, 1.31x1.01, L25xl.03, 1.28x1.00. 



