MOUNTAIN PLOVES 481 



superficial markings and lighter-colored deeper ones. The markings 

 are more numerous about the larger end of the egg and consist of 

 small spots and lines (Cones, 1869, pp. 348-349). If one intrudes 

 his presence on these birds at their nesting season, the male voices his 

 concern with loud cries. The female, if surprised on the nest, usually 

 slips quietly away for some distance, close to the ground, and then 

 practices various subterfuges to lead the intruder away. Occasionally 

 the members of another pair will join in demonstration with those 

 whose domains have been entered (Coues, 1869, p. 344). Often the 

 birds will squat on the ground at places away from the nest, making 

 discovery of the latter quite difficult (Philipp, 1910, p. 316). The 

 downy young "... can run quite cleverly over the sand as soon as 

 fairlj' dry from the egg . . . and are rather difficult to find, from 

 their knack of hiding, like their parents, by squatting close on the 

 sand. Their legs seem disproportionately long, like a young colt's" 

 (Coues, 1869, p. 347). 



Since this species is known in California from but a single instance, 

 in spite of extensive observations along our southern seacoast, it is 

 improbable that it will ever be found here in numbers. As with 

 several other rare birds of the game category, it is likely to remain of 

 interest only to the scientist and nature-lover. 



Mountain Plover 



Podasocys montanus (Townsend) 



Other names — Eocky Mountain Plover; Bull-head Snipe; Aegialitis asiaticus 

 var. montanus; Charadrius montanus; Eudromias montanus; Aegialitis montana. 



Dbsckiption — Adults, both sexes, in late spring and summer: Band across 

 forehead at base of bill, and extending back as stripe over eye, white; fore- 

 part of crown above white band, broadly black; stripe from aide of bill to eye, 

 black; side of head immediately below eye whitish, below this and on ear 

 region, bufEy; chin and throat, white; bill black; iris dark brown; top of head, 

 hind neck, whole back, rump, central upper tail coverts, and wing coverts, ashy 

 brown, with feather tippings of rusty brown giving a scaled appearance; outer 

 margins of outermost upper tail coverts, white; tail feathers pale drab at 

 base, blackish brown subterminally, and with tips of all and outer web of 

 outermost, white; flight feathers and primary coverts chiefly blackish brown; 

 shafts of primaries, and tips of greater coverts, white; lining of wing and 

 axillars, white; under surface of flight feathers pale gray; sides of neck, broad 

 area across chest, and sides of body pale brown, lightest toward mid-line; 

 rest of under surface, white; legs pale brown; feet black. Adults and immatures, 

 both sexes, in fall, winter and early spring: Like adults in summer save that 

 black markings on head are absent, and feathers of whole upper surface are 

 more or less prominently tipped with light rusty brown; sides of head, chest, 

 and sides of body, strongly suffused with same color. Males: Total length 8.75- 

 9.50 inches (222-241 mm.) (four specimens); folded wing 5.55-5.95 (141.0- 

 151.2); bill along culmen 0.83-0.89 (21.1-22.5); tarsus 1.54^1.81 (39.0-46.0) 



