264 
PLOVERS 
winter. — Similar to the preceding, but upperparts brownish gray, lightly 
margined with whitish. L., 11*00; W., 7*50; Tar., 1*90; B., 1*10. 
Remarks. — The rounded scales on the front of the tarsus and the presence 
of a fourth, although very small, toe distinguish this bird. 
Range. — Nearly cosmopolitan. Breeds on the Arctic coast from Pt. 
Barrow to Boothia and Melville Peninsulas, and also on the Arctic coast 
of Russia and Siberia; winters from the Mediterranean to S. Africa, in 
India and Australia, and from Calif., La., and N. C. to Brazil and Peru; 
in migration occurs throughout the U. S., and in Greenland and Bermuda; 
accidental in Hawaii. 
Long Island, common T. V., May 5-June 17; Aug. 1-Nov. 4. Ossining, 
A. V. Glen Ellyn, two records, May and Sept. SE. Minn., now uncommon 
T. V., May 24. 
Eggs , 3-4, light buffy olive, spotted and speckled with dark brown and 
brownish black or deep black, 2*04 x 1*43 (Ridgw.). Date, Pt. Barrow, 
Alaska, June (Thayer Coll.). 
These Plovers are in a great degree tide birds, and seek a large part 
of their food on sand-flats left by the receding water. As the tide rises 
they resort to adjoining marshes or uplands, beaches, or the exposed 
crests of sandbars. In migrating they fly in lines and also in ranks, 
like Ducks and Geese. When on the ground they usually run very fast 
for four or five yards, then stop, elevate the head, and look around. 
They strike at the object they are going to pick up and eat with a very 
quick motion. They have two calls : one of several notes, with the accent 
on the second one, is mellow, clear, and far reaching; the other is low, 
and is uttered when they are at ease and contented. 
Mackay, G. H., Auk, IX, 1892, 143-152; 300. 
The Lapwing {269. Vanellus vanellus ) is an Old-World species of acci- 
dental occurrence in America. The only record for eastern North America 
south of Greenland is based on a specimen shot at Merrick, L. I., in Decem- 
ber, 1883 (Dutcher, Auk, III, 1886, 438). 
272. Charadrius dominions dominions {Mull.). Golden Plover. 
Ads. in summer. — Upperparts black, spotted and margined with golden 
yellow; tail brownish gray, indistinctly barred; forehead, sides of head, 
neck, and breast white; rest of the underparts, including cheeks, black; 
under wing-coverts ashy. Juv. — Upperparts and tail fuscous, spotted or 
barred with whitish or yellow; underparts whitish, more or less streaked or 
barred with brownish gray. Ads. and Juv; in winter. — Similar, but less 
streaked below and less spotted above. L., 10*50; W., 7*00; Tar., 1*60; B., *90. 
Remarks. — Immature birds are sometimes confused with those of the 
Black-bellied Plover, but, aside from differences of size and color, the absence 
of the fourth toe in the present species will always distinguish it. 
Range. — N. and S. A. Breeds from Kotzebue Sound along the Arctic 
coast to mouth of the Mackenzie, and from Melville Island, Wellington 
Channel, and Melville Peninsula s. to nw. Hudson Bay; winters on the pam- 
pas of Brazil and Argentina; migrates s. across the Atlantic from N. S. and 
N. B.; a few pass s. through the Miss. Valley, and all migrate n. by this 
route; in migration to Calif., Greenland, and Bermuda; formerly abundant, 
now becoming rare. (See Fig. 9.) 
Washington, rare and irregular T. V. Long Island, T. V., very rare in 
May; common from Aug. 15-Nov. 10 (Dutcher). N. Ohio, casual T. V. 
Glen Ellyn, irregular T. V., Mch. 30-May 5; Sept. 6-Oct. 18. SE. Minn., 
now uncommon T. V., May 3; Sept. 28-Nov. 2. 
Eggs , 3-4, ochraceous-buff or buffy white, heavily marked with choco- 
late, 1*85 x 1*28. Date, N. Alaska, May 23. 
