474 GAME BIRDS OF CALIFORNIA 



outer surface of closed wing, with tippings of ashy white or pale buffy. Natal 

 plumage: Top of head and upper surface of body coarsely mottled with black 

 on a buffy white ground; stripe behind eye black; forehead, cheeks, chin and 

 whole under surface of body, dull white; bill dusky, pale at tip; legs and feet 

 (dried) dull yellow, claws dusky. 



Mabks for field identification — ^Very small size (smallest of the Plovers 

 and but slightly larger than our smallest shore bird, the Least Sajidpiper), 

 chunky appearance, short, rather thick bill, white collar around neck, pure 

 white under surface, and dark patches on sides of breast (pi. 12). In flight 

 shows white on side of rump and inconspicuous streak on wing. 



Voice — A low guttural trilling or quavering cr-r-r-r or pe-e-e-et; in the nest- 

 ing season relatively loud remonstrative cries are uttered as the nest is 

 approached by an intruder. 



Nest — On sandy beaches of the seacoast and occasionally on shores of inland 

 bodies of water; a slight surface depression about two and one-half inches 

 (63.5 mm.) in diameter and one inch (25.4 mm.) deep, sometimes lined with a 

 few bits of drift material, occasionally with pieces of bright shell. 



Eggs — 2 to 3, ovate, measuring in inches, 1.15 to 1.22 by 0.87 to 0.91 (in 

 millimeters, 29.2 to 31.0 by 22.1 to 23.2), and averaging 1.19 by 0.89 (30.2 by 

 22.7) (three sets, seven eggs, from California) ; ground color pale buff or 

 cream; superficial markings brownish black, deeper ones pale gray; markings 

 consist of small spots, elongated streaks, or short scrawls, rarely over 0.10 

 inches in length; but slightly more numerous about larger end. 



GrBNEBAL DISTRIBUTION — Southwestern United States to South America. 

 Breeds from northern California, northern Utah, and southern Kansas south 

 to northern Lower California and southern Texas; winters from southern Cali- 

 fornia and Texas, south along both coasts of Mexico and Central America, 

 and on west coast of South America to Chile (modified from A. O. U. Check- 

 list, 1910, p. 129). 



DiSTRlBtJTlON IN CALIFORNIA — Common resident coastwise, sparingly so in 

 the interior; most numerous in coastal district of southern portion of the state 

 and on adjacent islands; breeds locally along the coast from San Diego at 

 least as far north as Eureka, Humboldt County, and inland at Buena Vista 

 Lake, Kern County. Winters coastwise at least as far north as San Francisco, 

 but most abundantly from Santa Barbara southeastward; has occurred during 

 the same season at Owens Lak6. 



The Snowy Plover is, as regards general distribution, a notably 

 southern species and also the most restricted in range of the several 

 plovers occurring regularly in California. Indeed, as regards its 

 nesting grounds, it is essentially a bird of the southwestern United 

 States. In California it breeds almost exclusively on the seacoast, 

 though in some other western states it nests on inland bodies of water. 

 In this respect it is complementary to the Killdeer, as the latter bird 

 rarely if ever nests along salt water and usually away from the shores 

 of large lakes or rivers. 



Snowy Plover are present in many localities in California through- 

 out the year, but there may be a certain amount of north and south 

 migration ; so that as regards certain localities the birds seen in winter 

 and summer may be different individuals. At Santa Barbara, accord- 



