PLOVlCItS. 1 75 
     
    
   
   
    
     This species frequents sandy beaehcs, mud-flats, and marshes. It 
     
     is found generally in small flocks of live or ten individuals, which, 
     
     unlike the Sand (Reyes, do not feed in a compaet body, but I'un rap- 
     
     idly about, independently of one another. When they take wing, 
     
     however. they close ranks at once and move as though governed by 
     
     one desire. 
     
    

    
     Their simple. sweet, plaintive call is one of the most characteristic 
     
     notes heard on our shores. At noonday, when the heat waves are 
     
     dancing over the marshes and even the twittering ()xeyes are silent, 
     
     one may hear the we], pure notes of this little Plover. They may be 
     
    
   
   
    
     written E _. A third, shorter note is sometimes added. 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     Even a whistled imitation of them takes me to the beaches. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The RING I’LUYI‘ZR I275. .‘lfi/ivtlitix lu'utz'culu). an Old—World species, is 
     
     found in (lreeuhunl. It is similar to the preeedin}; but slightly larger, the 
     
     blaek band on the breast is wider, and there is no web between the inner and 
     
     middle toes. 
     
    
   
   
    
     277. Egialitis meloda (0M). PIPING PLOVER. Ali. in summer. 
     
     wUpper parts pale whitish ashy; ibrehead. under parts, and a ring around 
     
     the neck white: front ot‘ the crown and abandon either side of the breast 
     
     black; inner tail—feathers fuseous, outer ones heeoming white. ll'i'ntu-plzmz 
     
     aye—Similar. but the black replaced by brownish gray. L., 7‘00; “X, 4'? 
     
     Tara, '57); l3.. ‘30. 
     
    

    
     ‘ tern North America, breeding from Virginia to Newfound— 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
          
     
    
   
   
    
     lfltzzzyc.——. 
     
     land; winters t'rem Florida southward. 
     
    

    
     Long Island. not uncommon S. 11., Meh. through Sept. Sing: Sing, A. V. 
     
    

    
     fig/ye, three to tour, creamy white, tinely spotted or speckled with choco— 
     
     late, 1'24 x '97). 
     
    
   
   
    
     The Piping Plover resembles the Ring-neck in habits but not in 
     
     notes. Mr. J. Il. Langille writes that; it. “ can not be called a ‘ whistler,’ 
     
     nor even a ‘ piper.’ in an ordinary sense. Its tone has a particularly 
     
     striking and musical quality. Query). queep. queep-o. or peep, peep, 
     
     [)FP/J-Ir), eaeh syllable beingr uttered with a separate, distinct, and sonic- 
     
     \\‘hat long-drawn enunciation. may imitate its peculiar melody, the 
     
     tone of which is round, full. and sweet. reminding one of a high key 
     
     on an Italian hand organ or the hmit‘lmj/ in a ehnrch organ. It; is 
     
     always pleasing to the lover of Nature's melodies, and in the still air 
     
     of the evening it is very impressive." 
     
    
   
   
    
     277a. E. m. ctrcumcincta, [fir/(Hr. Barren PIPING I’i.0vi—:R.—~ 
     
     Closely resembles the preceding, from which it dill'ers in having the bands 
     
     on either side ofthe breast joined, forming.' a continuous breastband. 
     
    

    
     [Maya—Breeds from “ northern Illinois and Nebraska northward to Lake