Ring
Plover, and has been supposed to be identical with the European Ringed
Plover.

It is one of the commonest of shore birds. It is found along the beaches
and easily identified by the complete neck ring, white upon dark and
dark upon light. Like the Sandpipers the Plovers dance along the shore
in rhythm with the wavelets, leaving sharp half-webbed footprints on the
wet sand. Though usually found along the seashore, Samuels says that on
their arrival in spring, small flocks follow the courses of large
rivers, like the Connecticut. He also found a single pair building on
Muskeget, the famous haunt of Gulls, off the shore of Massachusetts. It
has been found near Chicago, Illinois, in July.

[Illustration: RING PLOVER.]

THE RING PLOVER.

Plovers belong to a class of birds called Waders.

They spend the winters down south, and early in the spring begin their
journey north. By the beginning of summer they are in the cold north,
where they lay their eggs and hatch their young. Here they remain until
about the month of August, when they begin to journey southward. It is
on their way back that we see most of them.

While on their way north, they are in a hurry to reach their nesting
places, so only stop here and there for food and rest.

Coming back with their families, we often see them in ploughed fields.
Here they find insects and seeds to eat.

The Ring Plover is so called from the white ring around its neck.

These birds are not particular about their nests. They do not build
comfortable nests as most birds do. They find a place that is sheltered
from the north winds, and where the sun will reach them. Here they make
a rude nest of the mosses lying around.

The eggs are somewhat pointed, and placed in the nest with the points
toward the center. In this way the bird can more easily cover the eggs.

We find, among most birds, that after the nest is made, the mother bird
thinks it her duty to hatch the young.

The father bird usually feeds her while she sits on the eggs. In some of
the bird stories, you have read how the father and mother birds take
turns in building the nest, sitting on the nest, and feeding the young.

Some father birds do all the work in building the nest, and take care of
the birds when hatched.

Among plovers, the father bird usually hatches the young, and lets the
wife do as she pleases.

After the young are hatched they help each other take care of them.

Plovers have l