have been found breeding on the barren land of the Arctic Regions. They seem to prefer the eastern route during migrations. Mr. Chamberlain reports them as abundant along the Atlantic, as far north, at least, as Anticosti. Dr. Bell found them in plenty near Fort Churchill, but in the "Birds of Manitoba," no mention is made of them. In Southern Ontario they are still rare. Occasionally a straggling flock of migrants is seen in spring, and Dr. Macallum reports them as regular visitors at Mohawk Island every June, but on such occasions they appear only in small numbers. NUMENIUS BOREALIS (FORST.). 118. Eskimo Curlew. (266) Bill, small, under 3 inches long; length, 12-15 inches; wing, under 9; tail, 3; tarsus, 2. Plumage, in tone and pattern almost exactly as in the last species, but averaging more rufous, especially under the wings, and primaries, not barred. HAB.-Eastern Province of North America, breeding in the Arctic regions, and migrating south to the southern extremity of South America. Nest, in open plains, a hollow lined with grass and leaves. Eggs, olive-drab shading to green gray, or brown marked with dark chocolate. The Curlews all resemble each other in plumage, but in size they vary considerably, this being the smallest of the three. It is very abundant in the remote regions which it frequents in summer, and also along its migratory course, from which it does not seem to deviate much. On the Pacific coast it has not yet been observed, and on the Atlantic shores it appears only in limited numbers. The great highway of the species is through the States just east of the Rocky Mountains, where it is seen in immense flocks in spring and fall. Dr. Coues says it is extraordinarily abundant in some places during the migration, as in Labrador, where it fairly swarms in August. I once found myself, unexpectedly, in close proximity to a solitary individual on the shore of the beach, near Hamilton, and secured it, but that is the only record I have of its occurrence in Ontario. Dr. Macallum's experience with this species is similar to mine. He secured two, which were feeding in an old pasture field along with some Golden Plovers; but these are all he has seen in twenty years. FAMILY CHARADRIIDE PLOVERS. GENUS CHARADRIUS LINNEUS. 119. Black-bellied Plover. (270) Adult in breeding season:-Rarely seen in the United States; face and entire under parts, black; upper parts, variegated with black and white, or ashy; tail, barred with black and white; quills, dusky with large white patches. Adults at other times and young:-Below, white, more or less shaded with gray; the throat and breast, more or less speckled with dusky; above, blackish, speckled with white or yellowish; the rump, white, with dark bars; legs, dull bluish. Old birds changing show every grade, from a few isolated feathers on the under parts to numerous large black patches. Length, 11-12; wing, 7 or more; tail, 3; bill, 1-11; tarsus, 2; middle toe and claw, 14; hind toe, hardly . HAB. Nearly cosmopolitan, but chiefly in the northern hemisphere, breeding far north, and migrating south in winter, in America, to the West Indies, Brazil and New Grenada. Nest, a hollow in the ground, slightly lined with grass. Eggs, four, dark gray color, blotched or spotted with brownish-black. Although of nearly cosmopolitan distribution, this large and handsome Plover is nowhere abundant. It has been found breeding on the Arctic coast east of the Anderson River, where its eggs were taken by Mr. Macfarlane. In its migrations, it prefers the sea coast on either side to the interior, but a few are also observed inland. At Hamilton, it visits the beach in spring and fall in limited numbers. I once got two out of three very handsome individuals which I saw there on the 3rd of June. In the "List of Birds of Western Ontario," it is mentioned as a Clair Flats. It is also seen passing throughout the North-West, and Mr. White has found it at Ottawa. common migrant" at St. Until quite recently, the only breeding place I had heard named for this species was within the Arctic Circle. In the 'Birds of Minnesota," Dr. Hatch says: "In the summer of 1875, a clutch of four eggs was sent to me with the female, which proved to be a Black-bellied Plover. It was obtained in the vicinity of upper Lake Minnetonka. Since then several nests have been reported by persons competent to determine them, and I accept the conclusion that this species breeds to a limited extent in some portions of the State.“ A few are said to breed at the mouth of the Yukon in Alaska, but at St. Michael's, where Mr. Nelson was stationed, he did not find it in summer. SUBGENUS CHARADRIUS LINNÆUS. 120. American Golden Plover. (272) Plumage, speckled above, and, in the breeding season, black below, as in the last species, but much of the speckling bright yellow; and the rump and upper tail coverts, like the 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. HAB.Arctic America, migrating southward throughout North and South America to Patagonia. Nest, composed of dry grass, in a natural hollow in the ground. Eggs, four, similar to those of the preceding species but not quite so large. Old sportsmen tell us that Golden Plovers used to follow the line of the Detroit River in immense flocks, passing quickly to the north KILLDEER. 163 in the spring, and lingering along the shores and in the pasture fields on their return in the fall. According to the "List of Birds of Western Ontario," they are still regular visitors there, but only in small numbers. Near Hamilton they have never been common. Small flocks of immature birds are seen passing south in the fall occasionally, but not regularly. The Golden Plover in full breeding plumage is a very handsome bird, but, like the Snow-bird and some others which breed in high latitudes, it does not assume the nuptial dress till it reaches its northern home, and by the time it gets back within the bounds of civilization it has donned the sober garb of winter. Mr. White reports the Golden Plover as a regular visitant at Ottawa during October. It is an abundant migrant in the NorthWest, but none remain during the summer. It breeds abundantly on the coast and islands of the Arctic Sea, and on the barren lands, and again puts in an appearance at the usual stopping places on its return trip in the fall. GENUS EGIALITIS BOIE. SUBGENUS OXYECHUS REICHENBACH. EGIALITIS VOCIFERA (LINN.). 121. Killdeer. (273) Above, quaker-brown, with a greenish tinge, sometimes most of the feathers tipped and edged with orange-brown; rump and upper tail coverts, orangebrown; most of tail feathers, white at base and tip, suffused with orange-brown in part of their length, and with one to three black bars; secondaries, mostly white; and primaries, with a white space; a black bar across the crown; and two black bands on the neck and breast; forehead and entire under parts, except as stated, white; bill, black; feet, pale; eyelids, scarlet. Length, 9-10 inches; wing, 6 or more; tail, 3, much rounded; tarsus, about 14. HAB.-Temperate North America, migrating in winter to the West Indies, Central America and northern South America. Nest, in the grass or shingle, in the vicinity of water. This is a noisy, well-known bird, generally distributed throughout Ontario, and abundant in the North-West. In April, even before the snow is quite gone, the shrill cry of the Killdeer is heard in the upper air, as it circles around, surveying its old haunts, and selecting a bare spot on which to settle. Its favorite resorts are pasture fields or waste places near water, where it spends much of its time on the ground, sometimes running with great speed, or sitting quietly as if aware that it is more likely to escape observation in that way than by moving. It can scarcely be called gregarious, yet, in the fall, when the young birds are getting strong on the wing, they may be seen in companies of ten or a dozen, visiting the muddy shores of streams and inlets, till about the end of September, when they all move off south. It is common during summer in Manitoba and the North-West, but is not named among the "Birds of Alaska.” SUBGENUS ÆGIALITIS BOIE. EGIALITIS SEMIPALMATA BONAP. 122. Semipalmated Plover. (274) Above, dark ashy-brown with an olivaceous shade; below, white; very broad coronal and pectoral black bars in the adult in spring; in fall and in the young the coronal bar hardly evident; the pectoral, grayish-brown; edges of eyelids, bright orange; bill, moderately short and stout, orange or yellow, black tipped; legs, yellowish; toes, conspicuously semipalmate. Length, about 7 inches; wing, 43; tail, about 2 rounded. HAB.--Arctic and subarctic America, migrating south throughout tropical America, as far as Brazil and Peru. Nest, a depression in the ground, lined with dry grass. The Semipalmated is a solid, plump little bird of very pleasing plumage, particularly in spring, when the colors are clear and decided. In company with other beach birds, it is found along the shores of the lakes in Ontario from the middle till the end of May. In the fall it is again seen in increased numbers in similar places till about the end of September, when it disappears for the season. Dr. Coues found the Ring-necks breeding abundantly in Labrador, and mostly remaining there till the beginning of September. The distance between their summer and winter home is very great, but their flight is rapid, and as they seem to know the way, the journey is quickly made. They have been found breeding in the latter part of June on the Arctic coast and in the Anderson River regions, as well as on the islands off the Alaskan coast and at the mouth of the Yukon. |