160 



The Ottawa Naturalist 



[Vol. XXXII. 



was high but now much less numerous and growing 

 scarcer. 



69. *LESSER YELLOW-LEGS, TotatlUS flavipes. 



In 1917 common from the time of our arrival on 

 May 1 7 to June 5 when most of the migrant waders 

 left. One was taken Sept. 21 on the shore of a 

 small pond some distance from the lake. In 1918, 

 the species was common from April 25 to May 28, 

 and abundant from May 5 to 15. In the autumn 

 stray individuals appeared July 13 to 20, but the 

 bulk did not arrive until Aug. 4, culminating in 

 numbers on the 19th, and remaining until Sept. 7. 



70. ^SOLITARY SANDPIPER, Helodromas soUtarius. 

 In 1917 but single specimens occasionally seen 



during our spring visit and one noted Sept. 1 7. In 

 1918 small numbers were seen regularly between 

 May 8 and 27, and Aug. 5 and Sept. 18. 



71. *WILLET, Catoptrophorus semipalmatus. 



In 1917 one bird was observed from the train be- 

 tween Winnipeg and Erinview, but the species was 

 not noted on the lake. In 1918, Young took single 

 individuals, the only ones noted on the lake, on May 

 29 and Aug. 10. The spring adult of these two is 

 so decidedly grayer than a Sapelos Island, Ga., bird 

 and both agree so perfectly with comparable mater- 

 ial from Saskatchewan and Alberta, that I have little 

 hesitation in referring them both to the Western 

 Willet, C. s. inorrtatus. 



72. ^UPLAND PLOVER, Bariramia longicauda. 

 Said by Seton to have been "somewhat common" 



in 1901, "but nearer Winnipeg, where the prairies 

 were drier, it became more abundant". Evidently 

 the drying of the prairie has allowed it to increase 

 its range considerably for we found it a very common 

 bird in 1917, and the Ward brothers say it is in- 

 creasing. One could hardly go five minutes in any 

 direction from camp without coming across one or 

 more pairs, while its long-drawn whistle was one of 

 the most characteristic and beautiful of the prairie 

 sounds. On the ground the Upland Plover has a 

 very un-wader-like appearance looking more like a 

 long-legged grouse chick, but immediately it takes 

 flight the long sweeping wing strokes proclaim its 

 true relationship. It breeds commonly about the 

 lake, but its eggs, surprisingly large for the size of 

 the parent, are very difficult to find. The parents 

 are very solicitous for the safety of their nests and 

 show great ingenuity in diverting the attention of 

 the intruder. It was not present on my return visit 

 in September. In 1918 it put in an appearance on 

 May 7 and remained common until the middle of 

 August, the last one being seen on Aug. 28. Mr. 

 Young informs me that he looked very carefully for 

 juveniles through the summer but without success. 

 Adults were in common evidence the entire season 

 but even the mowing-machines of the hay-makers 



failed to discover young or partially grown in- 

 dividuals. How so large and prominent a bird can 

 be raised to maturity without observation is 

 problematical. 



73. "^BUFF BREASTED SANDPIPER, T^ngiles 



subruficollis. 

 Young met single individuals of this rare species 

 on Aug. 9 and 31, collecting the latter one. The 

 growing scarcity of this species is a matter of some 

 anxiely to those who view with alarm the general 

 decrease in our shore birds. 



74. ^SPOTTED SANDPIPER, Actitis maculala. 

 This unusually common species was unaccountably 



scarce on the lake shore in 1917 where conditions 

 seemed ideal for it. We only saw occasional in- 

 dividuals and some days along the lake shore we 

 would fail to see a single bird. In 1918 the species 

 seemed slightly more numerous but still far from 

 common and the greatest number noted any one day 

 was 8 on Aug. 21. It was not noted in spring until 

 May 18 and the last one was seen on Sept. 21. 



75. LONG-BILLED CURLEW, Numenius americanus. 

 In 1917 we saw birds in the distance several times 



that we took to be Curlew. Young did not observe 

 ii in 1918. The Ward brothers know of but one 

 species. I include them under this species hypo- 

 thetically. 



76. *BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER, Squaiarola 



squatarola. 

 In 1917 seen from May 26 to June 1, and again 

 on Sept. 22 and 24. Said to be more common in 

 autumn than in spring and to stay very late. In 

 1918, Young noted small flocks numbering from 3 to 

 15 on May 22 to June 3. A single individual was 

 seen on June 20. In the autumn similar numbers 

 were seen from Aug. 8 to Sept. 23. 



77. ^GOLDEN PLOVER, Charaduus dominicus. 



In 1917 one seen on May 22 and another on the 

 26th. In the autumn one specimen was taken on 

 Sept. 22. In 1918, four and three were noted May 

 30 and June 4 and 6 and one on Aug. 21 and on 

 Sept. 21. 



78. '^KILLDEER, Aegialitis vocifera. 



Very dommon and breeding everywhere. One 

 could hardly get out of hearing of its querulous com- 

 plaining. In the autumn several were seen in 1917 

 and until SepL 19, 1918. 



79. *SEMIPALMATED PLOVER, Aegialitis 



semipalmata. 

 First seen in 1917 on May 19, common on the 

 28th; none observed after June 5. Present in 1918 

 from May 20 to June 12, and from Aug. I to 31, 

 with a single straggler Sept. 14. 



80. ^PIPING PLOVER, Aegialitis meloda. 



One or two pairs were usually to be seen on the 

 flats near the Narrows, where they associated with 



