J84 THE AMERICAN GOLDEN PLOVER. 



distal portion of each quill white ; tail dusky, barred irregularly with lighter gray- 

 ish brown; entire under parts, except lining of wing, including sides of head, 

 glossy, brownish black ; bordered on head, neck, and breast with pure white ; lining 

 of wings smoky gray or ashy; bill and legs black. Adult in zvinter: Usually less 

 decidedly black on back; the spotting (streaking on hind neck) f^ner on upper 

 parts ; the ochre-yellow brightest on upper tail-coverts ; elsewhere more or less dis- 

 placed by paler yellow and whitish ; below without black ; throat and crissum dull 

 white; elsewhere streaked and spotted with light brownish gray, a lighter shade 

 of the same vaguely diffused over the plumage, or else under parts definitely 

 brownish gray, finely spotted with white. Immature ; Like adult in winter, but 

 lighter below; -only the breast tinged, and that uniformly, with Hght fuscous; pat- 

 tern of neck all around blended. Length 9.50-11.00 (241.3-270.4) ; av. of nine Co- 

 lumbus specimens: wing 6.83 (173.5) ; tail 2.56 (65.) ; bill .89 (22.6) ; tarsus 1.63 

 (4I4)- 



Recognition Marks. — Killdeer size. "Golden" speckling of upper parts dis- 

 tinctive. Somewhat smaller than preceding species ; bill decidedly smaller ; not so 

 white below in fall plumage. 



Nesting. — Does not breed in Ohio. Nest, on the ground with a scanty lining 

 of leaves and grass. Bggs, 3 or 4, buffy white to buffy brown, boldly spotted and 

 blotched with brownish black. Av. size, 1.98 x 1.37 (50.3 x 34.8). 



General Range. — Arctic America except the coast of Behring Sea, migrating 

 southward throughout North and South America to Patagonia. 



Range in Ohio. — Formerly reported as abundant during migrations; now 

 much less common or rare. 



ALTHO the Golden Plover is commonly reported from various places 

 in the interior during migrations, the great bulk of the migrants, especially 

 in the fall, appear to pass along the Atlantic Coast, or at a considerable 

 distance out at sea. During the later days of August enormous numbers 

 push boldly out to sea from the southern shore of Nova Scotia, and are not 

 seen again until they touch the West Indies, unless they be driven back 

 against the Atlantic Coast by strong east winds, in which case the sports- 

 men of Massachusetts and Long Island reap a rich harvest. 



But since we are concerned with the status of the species in Ohio, I 

 quote nearly in full the account given by Dr. Wheaton, who had a better 

 opportunity to study the bird than that afforded any recent observer : "The 

 Golden Plover is the most abundant of the strictly migrant species of the 

 family. In April it usually appears in flocks of from thirty to one hundred 

 birds in high meadows and pastures. Their flight is very swift, and the 

 flocks are very close. All movements, when on the wing, are performed 

 with wonderful rapidity and unanimity. They run quickly in the grass, 

 and, while rather shy, exhibit considerable curiosity and some degree of 

 confidence. Their voice is a pleasant mellow whistle frequently repeated 

 while on the wing. During the spring migrations while with us they are 

 changing from winter to breeding plumage. Generally the colors of winter 

 predominate, but sometimes specimens are taken with the under parts nearly 



