BAY SNIPE. 
35 
latter margined with white; primary shafts, about two-thirds 
from the base, white; tips blackish-brown; part of the inner 
webs of the outer primaries white ; both webs of the inner pri¬ 
maries partially white ; secondaries white at the base, margined 
with the same; feet black; toes connected by a membrane. 
Female smaller. Young with the upper plumage grayish- 
brown, the feathers spotted with white ; throat, fore-neck, and 
upper part of the breast grayish-white, streaked with dusky; 
rest of the lower parts white. Length of adult male eleven 
inches and three-quarters, wing seven and a half. 
“ Early in the month of May the Black-bellied Plover arrives 
among us from its winter quarters. After spending a few days 
on the sand-bars and beaches, it leaves for the North. In the 
month of August it returns with its young, which is so different 
in plumage that by many it is considered a distinct species, 
being called * Bull or Beetle-headed Plover/ Though shy, it 
is frequently enticed within gunshot by imitating its plaintive 
note. In autumn, it is distributed along the seacoast, subsisting 
on mmute shell-fish and marine insects, on which it gets very 
fat. It remains with us until the latter part of September, when 
it moves southward, its migratory course extending to the 
southernmost extremity of the Union. 
“ Early in autumn this species is very abundant on Montauk. 
During the month of September, I met with it throughout my 
entire route across the hills; but found it more numerous on a 
large bald place, abounding with grubs, worms, and insects of 
various kinds, about four miles from the Light-house. On Mon¬ 
tauk I also fell in with straggling parties of the Long-billed 
Curlew, and found the Yellow-shanks —Totanus jlavipes —and 
Tell-tale— T. vociferus —quite abundant. These I found in 
greater numbers in the valleys, along the margins of pools and 
ponds.” 
