38 
FRANK FORESTER’S FIELD SPORTS. 
* 
brown; lateral toes connected by a membrane as far as the 
first joint; inner toes about half that distance. Adult male with 
the bill flesh-color at base, anterior to the nostrils black; a line 
of black commences at the base of the upper mandible, passes 
back to the eye, curving downward on the sides of the neck; a 
band on the fore part of the head pure white ; fore part of 
crown black ; occiput wood-brown ; chin, throat, and fore-neck 
passing round on the hind-neck, pure white ; directly below, on 
the lower portion of the neck, a broad band of black; upper 
plumage wood-brown ; primaries blackish brown ; shafts white 
—blackish-brown at their tips; secondaries slightly edged with 
white on the inner webs ; outer webs nearest to the shafts an 
elongated spot of white ; wing coverts wood-brown ; secondary 
coverts broadly tipped with white; breast, abdomen, sides and 
lower tail coverts pure white; tail brown, lighter at the base ; 
outer feathers white—the rest broadly tipped with white, ex¬ 
cepting the middle pair, which are slightly tipped with the 
same. Female similar, with the upper part of the head and the 
band on the neck brown. Length seven inches and a quarter, 
wing five. 
“ This species, though smaller, resembles in plumage the 
Ring Plover of Europe. In the month of May the American 
or Semipalmated Ring Plover is seen pursuing its annual jour¬ 
ney to the North. It returns to us in the latter pait of August. 
It frequents similar situations with the Semipalmated Sandpiper, 
with which it is often seen gleaning its fare—and like that bird, 
admits of near approach. When alarmed it utters a sharp 
note. Late in autumn it migrates to the South, and according 
to Mr. Audubon, spends the winter in the Floridas.” 
