RING ; LOVER. 501 
Plover, then in its summer dress; out which, notwithstanding its great 
resemblance to the present, I now suspect to be a different species. 
Fearful of perpetuating error, and anxious to retract, where this may 
inadvertently have been the case, I shall submit to the consideration 
of the reader the reasons on which n y present suspicions are founded. 
The present species, or true Ring Plover, and also the former, or 
light colored bird, both arrive on the sea-coast of New Jersey late in 
April. The present kind continues to be seen in flocks until late in 
May, when they disappear on their way farther north ; the light colored 
bird remains during the summer, forms its nest in the sand, and generally 
produces two broods in the season. Early in September the present 
species returns in flocks as before; soon after this, the light colored 
‘kind go off tothe south, but the other remain a full month later. 
European writers inform us, that the Ring Plover has a sharp, twitter- 
ing note; and this account agrees exactly with that of the present: 
the light colored species, on the contrary, has a peculiarly soft and 
musical note, similar to the tone of a German flute, which it utters 
while running along the sand, with expanded tail and hanging wings, 
endeavoring to decoy you from its nest. The present species is never 
seen to breed here; and, though I have opened great numbers of therm 
as late as the 20th of May, the eggs which the females contained were 
never larger than small bird-shot; while, at the same time, the light 
colored kind had every where begun to lay in the little cavities which 
they had dug in the sand on the beach. These facts being considered, 
it seems difficult to reconcile such difference of habit in one and the 
same bird. The Ring Plover is common in England, and agrees 
exactly with the one now before us; but the light colored species, as 
far as I can learn, is not found in Britain; specimens of it have indeed 
been taken to that country, where the most judicious of their ornitholo- 
gists have concluded it to be still the Ring Plover, but to have changed 
that identical species, running through a great variety of latitude, will in fact differ 
little or nothing from each other. I have transcribed the observations of Bonaparte 
from his Nomenclature of Wilson, which will show his opinion. 
He thus observes, — ‘‘ The remark made by Mr. Ord, relative to the difference 
between the union of the toes in American and European specimens, is no less ex- 
traordinary than correct; I have verified it on the specimens in my collection. 
This character would seem io show, in the most positive manner, that they are 
distinct but allied species, differing from each other as Tringa semipalinata of 
Wilson differs from his Tringa pusilla.” 
The synonymes of Mr. Ord, who noticed one of the principal distinctions in the 
almation.of the feet, are consequently wrong, and they should ‘stand as above. 
have added a synonyme of Wagler, C. semipalmatus, which he takes, without 
any acknowledgment, from Cont. Isis, 1825, and which seems to be this species. 
He also refers to the C. hiaticula of Wilson, (No. 160 of this edition,) under the 
name of C. Okenii. The true C, hiaticula has not yet, I believe, been found in 
North America. 
‘“‘T have been endeavoring,” again writes Bonaparte, “to discover some other 
markings on my stuffed specimens, that might enable me to cstablish the species 
on a more solid basis ; but though certain small differences are discernible, such as 
the somewhat smaller size, and the black, narrow collar of the American, &c., yet 
we are aware that such trifling differences occur between individuals of the same 
species; we shall, therefore, not rely on them until eur observations shall have 
been repeated on numerous recent or living specimens. Tv the mean time, should 
the species prove to be distinct, it may be distinguished by the appropriate name 
of C. semipalmatus.”’ — ED. : 
