Sept. ,1918 



NOTES OX THE NESTING OF THE MOUNTAIN PLOVER 



159 



half an hour in an unsuccessful effort to locate the nest, during which time the 

 birds disappeared without evidencing interest in our movements. Upon our re- 

 turn a couple of hours later, they were again where first seen, and after a long 

 search, during which the birds ran out of sight, a single egg was found. This 





\ ^W 3 ^ 



¥±r. 



# 



Fig. 26. Mountain Plover, with wings rapidly opening and closing, and 



EILL OPEN, AS SHE FOLLOWED THE CAMERA MAN BACK TO THE NEST. 



apparently had been dropped at random, and so far as I could see, might as 

 well have been deposited anywhere else on the prairie. 



Placing a small stake with a tag about twenty steps distant, we left the 

 egg. On revisiting the site one week later. May 27, my assistant found the 

 birds present and finally located the nest, which then contained three fresh 



Fig. 27. Mountain Plover, between her eggs and the camera, 



.JUMPING FORWARD TO ATTACK THE FOOT OF THE PHOTOGRAPFIER, 

 WITH WIXGS SNAPPILY OPENING AND CLOSING. 



eggs. He reported that on this occasion one bird remained close by all the time 

 he was in the vicinity of the nest, with wings outspread and making much fuss. 

 She was the first to be observed making demonstrations of this character. 

 These were the only perfectly fresh eggs taken. 



