PLOVERS 
267 
Washington, casual, one record, May. Long Island, not common S. R., 
Mch., through Sept. Ossining, A. V. N. Ohio, breeds sparingly, May 5- 
Sept. 20. Glen Ellyn, two records, May and Sept. SE. Minn., rare T. V., 
May 11-26. 
Nest, a depression in the beach. Eggs, 3-4, creamy white, finely spotted 
or speckled with chocolate, 1’24 x '95. Date, Cape May, N. J., June 1, 1875; 
Shelter Is., N. Y., June 3, 1881; Minor Co., S. D., June 5. 
Because of their pale colors and absence of pronounced black breast 
bands, Piping Plover are the most difficult to see of our small Plover. 
They patter over the sand or pebbles like spirit birds and disappear 
the moment they stop. Their liquid peep, peep , or peep-lo has a true 
piping quality. As a breeding bird it is now rare, and man’s increasing 
encroachment on its haunts threatens it with extinction as a summer 
resident in our Atlantic States. 
The Ringed Plover (275. AEgialitis hiaticula), an Old-World species, is 
found in Greenland. It is similar to JE. semipalmata but slightly larger, the 
black band on the breast is wider, and there is no web between the inner and 
middle toes. 
The Snowy Plover (278. AEgialitis nivosa ) of the southwestern United 
States and southward, is of casual occurrence in Ont., La., and Fla. 
280. Oehtliodromus wilsonius wilsonius (< Ord .). Wilson’s Plover. 
Ad. <jv — Lores, front of crown, and a band on the breast black; rest of under- 
parts, forehead, and an indistinct ring on the nape white; sides of the head and 
nape sometimes with rufous markings; cheeks, crown, and back brownish 
gray; inner tail-feathers fuscous, 
outer ones becoming white. Ad. $ . — 
Similar, but black replaced by brown- 
ish gray with rusty on breast. Juv. — 
Similar to 9 , but 
upperparts margined 
with grayish. L., 
7'50; W.,4'50; Tar., 
1G0; B., '80. 
Range. — S. N. Am. Breeds from 
Tex. e. along the Gulf coast, and 
from se. Va. (formerly N. J.) s. to 
the n. Bahamas; winters from s. L. 
Calif., Tex., and Fla. s. to s. Guate- 
mala and probably to the West 
Indies; casual in N. S. and New 
England, and at San Diego, Calif. 
Long Island, casual, five May 
records. 
Nest, a depression in the sand. 
Eggs, 3, creamy white, evenly and 
rather finely spotted and speckled 
with chocolate, 1*42 x 1*03. Date , 
Sarasota, Fla., Apl. 12; Cobb’s Is., 
Va., May 15. 
This is a more strictly maritime species than the other representa- 
tives of this genus. Sandy beaches are its favorite resorts, but it is 
also found on mud-flats exposed by the falling tide. It is a gentle, 
unsuspicious bird, and when its nest is approached it runs about the 
intruder and begs as plainly as a bird can that he will not disturb its 
Fig. 84. Wilson’s Plover. (Natural size.) 
