CURLEW SANDPIPER. lio 



visitor ill Ontario in the season of migration, appearing on tlie shores 

 of Lake Ontario with wonderful reguhxrity on the Queen's birthday 

 (May 2-ith), as if to afford sport to our gunnei-s on that Canadian 

 holiday. It is much in favor witli those who are fond of killing a 

 great number of birds at once, for it usuidly appears in large, com- 

 pact flocks and is not very diflicult of approach. I once saw seventy- 

 six killed or wounded with the discharge of two barrels. They had 

 just arrived on the shore, and, seeming tired after a long flight, 

 settled on a partially submerged log near the water's edge, from 

 which they were unwilling to rise, and allowed the gunner to do as 

 stated, to his extreme delight. It did not occur to one, looking 

 at so large a number of dead and wounded birds, that any very com- 

 mendable feat had been accomplished, but so it was considered at 

 the time, and so it will be again, I presume, with that class of sports- 

 men, but the like opportunity may not happen soon again, as the 

 number of Black-hearts which now visit that locality is very small. 



On leaving Southern Ontario in spring they pass on to the North- 

 West, where they breed abundantly in Alaska and in the Arctic 

 Regions. 



They are again seen in the fall, when they spend a few days l)efore 

 leaving for winter-quarters in the south. 



TRINGA FERRUGINEA Brunx. 

 103. Curlew Sandpiper. (244) 



Adult : — Crown of the head and entire upper parts, greenish-l)lack, each 

 feather tipped and indented with yellowish-red ; wing coverts, ashy-brown, 

 each feather with dusky shaft line and reddish edging; upper tail coverts, 

 white, witli broad dusky bars, tinged at tlieir extremities with reddisli ; tail, 

 pale gray, with greenish reflection; sides of the neck and entire under parts 

 uniform, deep brownish-red ; under tail coverts, barred with dusky ; axillars 

 and under wing coverts, white; bill and feet, greenish -black. Lengtli, 8^; 

 wing, about 5 ; bill, H. 



Hab. — Old World in general; occasional in eastern North America. 



Nest, by the margin of lakes and rivers, a slight hollow lined witli leaves 

 and grass. 



Eggs, tliree or four, pale-greenish buff, spotted and blotelied witli cliestnut- 

 browu. 



So far as at present known, the Curlew Sandpiper is only a 

 straggler on the American continent, about ten or a dozen being all 

 the recorded captures. It is quite a common British species, and 

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