Bulletin - United States National Museum - si-pddr - Smithsonian ...

166 BULLETIN 133, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM
Aires, on June 29, 1920. At Zapala, Neuquen, on December 8, I
shot a juvenile specimen just able to fly from a family that was
runninf^: about in the closely cropped grass of a pasture near a tiny
stream. Two broods were recorded at Ingeniero White, Buenos
Aires, on December 13, while on December 15 and 16 several were
seen on the shore of Lake Epiquen, near Carhue. An adult male
was taken on the 15th. Between Montevideo and Carrasco, Uruguay,
a few were recorded on January 9 and 16, 1921, on sandy beaches
where they fed at the water line by thrusting the bill quickly in the
sand. One was noted at La Paloma, Uruguay, Januar}^ 23. Near
Guamini, Buenos Aires, they were fairly common on the muddy
shores of the Laguna del Monte from March 3 to 7, in company with
sandpipers. Two immature females were shot March 4. Half a
dozen were seen at Concon, Chile, April 25.
The Falkland plover inhabits sandy beaches on the seashore or
the borders of open lagoons inland. In habits and appearance it
is similar to related species and like them frequently squats and hides
to avoid detection. The ordinary call is a sharp jnt fit.
PLUVIALIS DOMINICUS DOMINICUS (Muller)
Charadrius dominicus Mullee, Natursyst., Suppl., 1776, p. 116. (Santo
Domingo, West Indies.)
Golden plover arrived at Kilometer 80, west of Puerto Pinasco,
Paraguay, on September 6, 1920, and continued in southward pas-
sage until September 25. The birds came to the open shores of
lagoons with other sandpipers, but were more often seen in flocks
of 30 or 40 scattered over open savannas where the grass was not
too long. At this season they were rather silent and were very wild.
On September 16 cold weather in the south drove many back on
their route, and birds passed north during the entire afternoon, not
pausing to alight though the weather at the point of observation
was not unfavorable. The return southw^ard began two days later.
On September 24 and 25 flocks were seen at Laguna Wall, 200 kilometers
west of the Paraguay River. The Anguete Indians called
this species pill toil.
On October 23, near Conessa, Buenos Aires, small flocks were
scattered over the open pampa and the number seen was estimated
at 260. On November 6, 7, and 8, golden plover were scattered over
the open camp back of Cape San Antonio and a number arrived from
the south. On November 13 and 15, I found a considerable number
near the mouth of the Rio Ajo and on November 16 about 30 were
recorded in crossing from Lavalle to Santo Domingo.
December 13 a golden plover was seen on the mud flats near
Ingeniero White, Buenos Aires; December 14 thirty were seen near
Saavedra, and from December 15 to 18 a few were noted near Carhue.