KILDEER. 457 
back; forehead, and a broad line over the eye to the nape white; tail feathers grayish- 
brown, with imperfect white or ashy bars; axillars gray or ashy. At other times, the 
under parts nearly as in the last species. Length, 10-11; wing, 7 or less; tail, under 
3; bill, 1 or less. 
Habitat, Var. fulvuus, Asia and Pacific regions generally. Prybilov Islands. Var. 
virginicus, all of North America. Greenland. Accidental in Europe. 
Migrant; usually abundant in spring,common in thefall. TheGolden 
Plover is the most abundant of the strictly migrant species of the family. 
In April it usually appears in flocks of from thirty to one hundred birds, 
in high meadows and pastures. Their flight is very swift, and the flocks 
are very close. All movements, when on the wing, are performed with 
wonderful rapidity and unanimity. They run quickly in the grass, 
and, while rather shy, exhibit sometimes considerable curiosity and 
some degree of confidence. Their voice isa pleasant mellow whistle, fre- 
quently repeated whileon the wing. During the spring migration while 
with usthey are changing from winter to breeding plumage. Generally the 
colors of winter predominate, but sometimes specimens are taken with 
the under parts nearly uniform black. In September they return in full 
Winter plumage, and now frequent the gravelly and muddy borders of 
streams, sometimes in large flocks, and sometimes in pairs or as single 
birds, solitary or in company with Tatilers and Sandpipers. At this 
season their habits are less active than in spring. They are the only 
birds of the family whese size, abundance, and other qualities entitle 
them to any consideration asa game bird. As such they are generally 
esteemed. 
The Golden Plover breeds in the Arctic regions. The nest is composed 
of a few leaves within a natural depression of the ground. The eggs re- 
semble those of the preceeding species in color, but measure about 1.90 
by 1.38. 
GENUS AXGIALITIS. Bois. 
Front of tarsus with plates arranged vertically of which there are two or three in a 
transverse series. 
AUGIALITIS VOCIFERA (L.) Bonap. 
Exildeer Plover. 
Charadrius vociferus, KIRTLAND, Ohio Geolog.Surv., 1838, 165. 
Aegialitis vociferus, WHEATON, Ohio Agric. Rep. for 1860, 368; Reprint, 1861, 10. 
Aigialitis vociferus, WHEATON, Food of Birds, etc., Ohio Agric. Rep. for 1874, 572; Re- 
print, 1875, 12.—Lan@pon, Cat. Birds of Cin.,1877, 14; Revised List, Journ. Cin. 
Soc. Nat. Hist., i, 1879, 182; Reprint, 16; Summer Birds, iii, 1880, 226. 
Kildeer, BaLLov, Field and Forest, ili, 1878, 136. 
Charadrius vociferus, LINNZUS, Syst. Nat., i, 1776, 253. 
Aigialitis vociferus, BONAPARTE, Comp. List, 1838, 45. 
Aigialitis vocifera, Cougs, Birds N. W., 1874, 452. 
