CHAKADEIUS. 



121 



The Killdeer Plover may always be recognized by its chestnut-buff lower bach, rump, 

 and upper tail-coverts. Young in first plumage only differ from adults in having every 

 feather of the upper parts margined with buff. 



It breeds throughout the United States of America and in Southern Canada. In the 

 Southern States it is a resident, but to the Northern States and to Canada it is only a 

 summer visitor, migrating in autumn to Mexico, the West Indies, Central America, and 

 various portions of South America, Colombia (Salmon, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1879, p. 547), 

 Peru (Whitely, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1S68, p. 176), and possibly some other localities. It is 

 said that a few remain to breed in Mexico and Jamaica. The fact that it passes the 

 Bermuda Islands regularly on migration in small flocks makes it not improbable that it 

 may occasionally visit the British Islands. Two occurrences are on record. 



The Killdeer Plover is an inland species and is seldom seen near the coast, except on 

 migration ; consequently the variations attributable to differences of sex or season are very 

 slight. 



Specific 

 characters. 



Geographi- 

 cal distribu- 

 tion. 



Local 

 distribution. 



^CHARADRIUS MELODUS. 



AMERICAN PIPING-PLOVER. 



Charadrius, subgen. Hiaticulce typicce, dorso et supracaudalibus eentralibus pallidis griseis. 



Diagnosis. 



Inland birds differ from examples from the coast as hereinafter described. 



Variations, 



Charadrius melodus, Ord, Wilson's Am. Orn. vii. p. 71 (1824). 



Charadrius okeni, Wagler, Syst. Av. p. 63 (1827) . 



iEgialites melodus (Ord), Bonap. Cornp. List B. Eur. §■ N. Amer. p. 45 (1838). 



Hiaticula meloda (Ord), Gray, List Birds Brit. Mus. iii. p. 69 (1844). 



Synonymy. 



Plates. — Wilson, Am. Orn. pi. 37. fig. 2 ; Audubon, Birds Am. v. pi. 321. 

 Habits. — Baird, Brewer, & Ridgway, Water-Birds N. Amer. i. p. 160. 

 Eggs. — Described by Brewer in the same volume, p. 163. 



Literature. 



The Piping-Plover may be distinguished from the adults of most of its allies by its 

 white lores ; but since immature birds of many of the Plovers also have nearly white 



