43 



ward, nesting in dry valleys. Arrives by the middle of April, departs 

 by the first of September. 



265. Numenius hudsonicus Latham — Hudsonian Curlew. 



Now a rare and irregular migrant, formerly more numerous. Re- 

 corded once or twice from West Point, and once from Holt county, 

 by Bruner; from Lincoln by August Eiche and by Wolcott, Oct. 8, 

 1898. Breeds far north. 



266. Numenius borealis (Forster) — Eskimo Curlew. 



Formerly very abundant in flocks of thousands, and killed by wagon- 

 loads for food in the early days of the state, now very seldom seen 

 in eastern portion, but still said by sportsmen to be fairly common in 

 the western. Migrating in April and October, and breeding in the 

 Arctic regions. 



EXTRALIMITAL: 235. Arquatella maritima Bruennich, the Purple 

 Sandpiper, is said to migrate in winter southward to the Great Lakes 

 and the shores of the larger streams in the upper Mississippi valley, 

 though chiefly maritime. It may be looked for on the Missouri river. 

 The Western Solitary Sandpiper, 256a. H. s. cinnamomeus Brewster, 

 is a western form said to range eastward to the plains, and may be 

 expected to occur in western Nebraska. 



Family CHARADRIID^— Plovers 



1. Toes four, the hind toe present but very small; above mottled brownish 



gray and white, below white in fall, black in spring 



Black-bellied Plover. 



1. Toes three, the hind toe wanting (2) 



2. Back decidedly and brightly dotted with golden and whitish spots 

 on a dark ground; below grayish in fall, varied with more or less 



black in spring Golden Plover. 



2. Back uniform plain brown or gray, without decided spots (3) 



3. Rump bright orange-brown in conspicuous contrast to the brownish back; 

 white lower parts crossed by a neck-ring and breast-band of black 



.- Killdeer. 



3. Rump dull colored, never bright, rust red; not more than one black "band 



on lower parts (4) 



4. No black patches on sides of breast or black band across it; but 

 an indistinct band of buffy ; adults with a crown-stripe and lore- 

 stripe of black; above grayish brown varied with reddish. . 



Mountain Plover. 



4. Breast either crossed by a continuous black band or with con- 

 spicuous black patches on the sides (5) 



5. Space between eye and bill dark brown or black; a heavy black breast- 

 ring, and in spring sides of head and fore crown black; toes webbed 



at base; back brownish Semipalmated Plover. 



5. Space between eye and bill white ; toes not distinctly webbed at base ... (6) 

 6. Bill entirely black and a black spot on the sides of the head; also 



