342 PR^ECOCIAL CxRALLATORES — LIMICOL^. 



in Salt Lake Valley, and to the north as far as the Saskatchewan Eiver. Examples 

 were procured at Fort Kae by Mr. Clarke, at Fort Eesolution by Mr. Lockhart, and 

 on Peace Eiver by Mr. Eoss. 



Mr. Salvin met with it in different parts of Guatemala, finding it common at Chia- 

 pam and about the neighboring lagoons on the Pacific coast. The birds of this species 

 which he saw did not have the rust-colored necks and heads of northern specimens, 

 but all were Avhite in these parts. 



Only a single example is known to have been taken as far to the northeast as Point 

 Lepreaux, on the Bay of Fundy, and it is a very rare bird in Kew England. Mr. 

 Eoss speaks of it as being very rare on the Mackenzie. Captain Blakiston met with 

 it on the shores of the shallow lakes in the Valley of the Saskatchewan, Avhere he 

 found it feeding on insects and small fresh-water Crustacea. Eichardson gives a 

 similar account of this bird, having found its stomach filled with fragments of 

 Crustacea and gravel. He speaks of it as being very noisy, uttering cries of distress, 

 and fl^'ing about the heads of those who invade its haunts. 



In Utah it is generally known as the " White Snipe," and was there met with by 

 Mr. Allen, especially in Salt Lake Valley. In September it was still very abundant, 

 and was regarded as being highly characteristic of that region, where it was one of 

 the most common summer residents, breeding on the shores and islands of the lake. 

 Flocks of many thousands of this species were seen at the mouth of the Weber Eiver. 

 Mr. Eidgway also found it abundant in spring and summer about the numerous alka- 

 line ponds and lakes of the Great Basin, breeding in those localities in company with 

 the Stilt (Hlmcmtopus mexicanus). 



Mr. Henshaw also mentions it as a common summer resident in Utah and Colo- 

 rado, and as still more abundant during the migrations. It lives in summer on the 

 borders of all the lakes and ponds of any considerable size. In seeking food it resorts 

 to the water itself, and not to marshes or bogs. Its long legs are specially adapted to 

 the purposes of wading, and its elongated bill and neck allow it to pick up the insects 

 on the bottom of the shallow pools, or the larvse that are sAvimming about. Where 

 it has not been molested it is perfectly tame and unsuspicioiis, and continues its 

 gracefiil motions with entire unconcern while subjected to a close scrutiny. But in 

 parts of Utah it had learned to dread man as its enemy, and baffled all his efforts. 

 On the 21st of June it was found in great numbers on some alkaline lakes northwest 

 of Fort Garland, in Southern Colorado. As Mr. Henshaw visited one pond after 

 another, he was met everywhere by troops of the old birds, which flew in wide circles 

 about his head, while the shores resounded with their harsh cries. He shot several ; 

 but the others still continued their manoeuvrings, merely widening their course. The 

 death of their companions seemed to excite little apprehension, although they occa- 

 sionally flew close to the body of one which had fallen, or alighted beside it, as if 

 trying to comprehend its fate. Where the water was sufficiently deep to allow of 

 swimming, they alighted freely on the surface, and moved buoyantly about in a 

 graceful and pleasing manner. The crops of those examined were filled with the 

 larvrR of some water insect. A single set of four eggs was found, placed in a slight 

 hollow made for the purpose, and lined with weeds. 



Mr. Moore met with a single individual of this species in Florida. It was alone, 

 standing on a sand-spit in a bay near the sea. Its diet had been exclusively fish, 

 sixteen of which were within the throat and oesophagus, and no other food was found. 

 The fish were from seven to fifteen sixteenths of an inch in length. 



On Long Island Giraud found this species less frequent than the Stilt, and not 

 generally known to hunters. It frequented shallow pools in the salt-marshes, and 



