242 THE NESTS AND EGGS OF 



The nest is always made upon the ground, and Is a 

 hollow scantily lined with a few scraps of dry herbage 

 and withered leaves. Although MacFarlane, Richard- 

 son, and other naturalists have had ample opportunities 

 of studying the habits of this bird during the breeding 

 season, but little has been recorded, and many interest- 

 ing points remain still undetermined. MacFarlane 

 states that great difficulty was frequently experienced 

 in finding the nest of this species, the eggs closely 

 resembling surrounding objects in colour, and the hen 

 gliding off her charge before being closely approached. 

 He describes the note at the breeding grounds as a 

 " prolonged mellow whistle." 



Range of egg colouration and measurement : 

 The eggs of the Eskimo VVhimbrel are four in number, 

 although Richardson states that he has seen a female 

 sitting on three — probably the fourth was about to be 

 laid. They are pyriform, and range from brownish- or 

 grayish-buff to greenish-olive in ground colour, blotched 

 and spotted with brown of various shades, and with 

 underlying markings of pale grayish-brown. The surface 

 markings are generally large and boldly defined, and are 

 chocolate or sepia-brown in colour, most numerous at 

 the larger end of the ^%%^ often confluent and sometimes 

 forming an irregular cap. The gray underlying mark- 

 ings are similar in character and fairly numerous. 

 Average measurement, 2"0 inches in length, by i'4 inch 

 in breadth. Incubation is performed chiefly by the 

 female, but the duration of the period Is unknown. 



Diagnostic characters : The eggs of this Whlm- 

 brel cannot readily be confused with those of any other 

 species, the size, colour, and locality being sufficient to 

 identify them. 



