288 PR^ECOCIAL GEALLATOEES — LIMICOL^. 



The flight of the Willet is swift, and performed with grace and ease. While in 

 general this bird is found in the salt-marshes, it will also at times alight upon bare 

 shoals left exposed by the tide, and may be seen wading breast-deep in the water. It 

 is extremely watchful, and when in an exposed situation very seldom allows a hunter 

 to arrive within shooting distance. Nor is it by any means easily allured by decoys, 

 even though the sportsman be well hidden; and even if the bird approaches and 

 answers the decoy-note, its keen eye will soon enable it to detect the deception, when, 

 quickly changing its course, it darts off like an arrow, and ascends beyond the reach 

 of the fowler. AN'liilc it rarely associates with others of its kind, it may often be seen 

 feeding in company Avith Gulls, Sanderlings, and other birds. When flying it is made 

 very conspicuous by the white markings of its wings. It feeds chiefly on worms, 

 aquatic insects, small crabs, and minute shellfish. When in good condition, the flesh 

 of this bird is quite palatable, although not considered a great delicacy ; its eggs, 

 however, are very superior food. Audubon was mistaken both as to the absence of 

 this bird from the coast north of Boston and its non-existence in the interior. It is 

 probably rare north of Long Island, l)ut it is often quite abundant at some distance 

 from the coast. 



Wilson characterizes it as one of the most noisy of the birds inhabiting the salt- 

 marshes in summer, arriving about the 20th of April, and from that time to the 

 last of July making the vicinity resound almost incessantly with its loud and shrill 

 reiterations of 2>lll-will-uflUet. It begins to lay usually about the 20th of May. At 

 Cape Charles all the eggs I found on the 5tli of June were quite fresh. The nests 

 are always on the ground, among the grass of the salt-marshes, and composed of 

 rushes and coarse grass, with only a slight hollow. Wilson states that the nest is 

 gradually increased in size, during the period of laying and sitting, to the height of 

 six inches. The young — which are covered with a gray-colored down — run off soon 

 after they leave the shell, being assisted in their search for food by their mother, 

 while the male bird keeps a continual watch for their safety. The anxiety and affec- 

 tion which the Willets manifest for their young is often quite touching. An intruder 

 into the marshes where they are breeding is at once beset by the birds, who fly around 

 and hover over his head, vociferating with great violence, and uttering a loud click- 

 ing note whenever their nest is approached. At times they give out a mournful note 

 expressive of great grief. During the breeding-season the Willet is said to be often 

 much annoyed by the predatory excursions of the Crow, whose visits always create 

 alarm, and are repelled by the united force, who attack and pursue it with great 

 clamor. 



According to the observations of Dr. Heermann, the Willet wades in water to a 

 depth equal to the length of its legs, and if wounded swims with great rapidity. Its 

 food he found to consist of the small shells, crabs, etc., with the insects to be found 

 about the marshes. As it is a large bird, and generally well flavored, it is among 

 those shot by the purveyor for market, the first which appear being for sale in 

 August. The young keep in separate flocks, and are easily distinguishable by their 

 pale gray color. They are much better eating than the old birds, and may be found 

 in the market of San Francisco throughout the winter. 



The eggs are always four in number. Giraud describes them as being rather more 

 than two inches in length and one and a half in breadth, and very thick at the larger 

 end. In color they are dark olive, blotched with blackish brown, these markings 

 being usually more numerous at the larger end. According to my own observations, 

 the eggs of this species are, without exception, pyriform in shape, quite broad at the 

 larger end, and strongly tapering toward the other extremity, and are very nearly 



