SCOLOPACID^ — THE SNIPE FAMILY — ACTODROMAS. 229 



in Florida, on the 2d of December. He has always fonnd this species less shy than 

 any other of the same genus ; in this respect his observations not according with 

 those of Giraud, 



The author of the " Key to North American Birds " met with birds of this species 

 in Labrador, for the first time, July 30. On the 1st of September, when he left that 

 region, it was his belief that they were still as numerous as ever. They were found 

 in great abundance on the rocky shores of that region, where covered with seaweeds 

 and inters})ersed with muddy flats and shallow pools, in which these birds wade quite 

 up to their breasts, and also in situations where he never found any other kind of 

 Sandpiper — on large masses of rock sloping down abruptly to the water, green and 

 slippery from the continued dashing of the spray. The bird seemed to be very fond 

 of these localities. 



Of all the Sandpipers, this is spoken of as the most gentle and iinsuspecting, and 

 as being utterly regardless of the near approach of man, not even intermitting its 

 occupation of searching for food, though the observer may be standing within a few 

 feet of it. When startled, it flies off in a very compact flock, uttering a low, soft 

 tweet, very dift'erent from that of any other Sandpiper. If a part of a flock be killed, 

 the hunter may make equal havoc with his second barrel, as, after a few circlings, 

 those left fly past or alight again on the same spot. This bird flies rapidly, in a rather 

 unsteady manner, alternately showing tlie under and the upper parts, and may 

 always be recognized, Avhen on the wing, by the conspicuously white upper tail- 

 coverts. It was found associating with the Semipalmated Sandpipers and the Ring 

 Plovers. Those procured were not conspicuously fat. 



Mr. IST. B. Moore informs us that he met with this species in Florida during the 

 winter months, but that the greater portion seemed to move farther south. The 

 same gentleman in 1876 again observed this species on Fortune Island, one of the 

 Bahamas, where he procured an example as early as the 5th of August. 



Mr. Nelson found this bird a rather common migrant on the shores of Lake 

 Michigan, in Illinois. He met Avith it as late as the 9th of June. Dr. Hoy writes 

 of it as a bird formerly abundant near Racine during its migrations, but as now quite 

 rare ; and Mr. E. P. Clarke is quoted as having taken this species late in autumn 

 upon the lake shore near Chicago. Dr. James C. Merrill mentions it as common in 

 Southeastern Texas during the winter. 



Mr. L. Kumlien states that this species breeds in Kinguah and Kinguite fiords, 

 and in other suitable localities on both shores of Cumberland Sound. Considerable 

 numbers were observed along the beach near Nuboyant, on the west shore, in July, 

 where they were in all probability breeding. 



Mr. MacFarlane was so fortunate as to meet with several nests, with the eggs, of 

 this species on or near the Arctic coast. One of these, taken July 3 on the shore of 

 the Arctic Sea, contained four eggs with very large embryos. Another, found on 

 the following day, contained three eggs. A third, found June 29 on the Barren 

 Grounds, was a mere depression in the ground, lined with a few decayed leaves, con- 

 taining four eggs with very large embryos. A fourth, obtained on the banks of a 

 small river, was composed of a fcAV decayed leaves, and held four eggs. 



Eggs of this species found on the Barren Grounds, near the Arctic coast, by Mr. 

 MacFarlane (S. I. No. 11329), are pyriform in shape, and have a ground-color of a 

 rufous drab marked with bold patches of dark sepia brown, interspersed with spots 

 in wluch this shade is deepened almost into blackness, and which are collected in 

 confluent grou]:)ings around the larger end. These eggs measure 1.35 inches in length 

 by .95 in breadth. 



