OF VIRGINIA 77 
This is another bird fast becoming extinct on our coast, 
the main reason for which is that they are shot at by the 
gunners who are after spring beach birds, when other 
larger varieties are lacking. They are tame little fellows, 
and, when driven by curiosity, will come within a few 
feet of a person sitting still on the sand dunes. They 
usually breed in small colonies, four to ten pair, the nest 
a hollow in the sandy beach, well back from the ocean, in 
which is laid four eggs. They choose, however, a place 
where shells, stones and pebbles are numerous, thus afford- 
ing the nest abundant color protection. The eggs are 
pyriform in shape, the ground a pale gray, spotted and 
specked with black. Size, 1.25x1.00. Fresh eges June 
25th to July Ist. Only one brood a season. Seeds and 
insect matter, cast up by the waves and tide waters, form 
the greater part of their food. 
GENUS OCHTHODROMUS. 
[280]. - Ochthodromus wilsonius (Ord.).  Wilson’s 
Plover. 
[Stuttering Bird]. 
Raner.—Southern North America. Breeds from Texas 
eastward along the Gulf Coast, and from southeastern 
Virginia (formerly New Jersey) south to the northern 
Bahamas; winters from southern Lower California, 
Texas, and Florida south to southern Guatemala and 
probably to the West Indies; casual in Nova Scotia and 
New England, and at San Diego, California. 
.\s a breeding bird it is fast becoming uncommon on our 
coast, though as late as 1896 it was still abundant. The 
