124 Birds of Colorado 



lega moderate, but tarsus clearly exceeding middle toe and claw ; 

 webbing between the toes more extensive ; base of the tail and a 

 patch on the wing white. 



One species confined to America with an eastern and western race, 

 the latter averaging larger and paler. 



Western Willet. 

 Catoptrophorus semipalmatus inornatus. 



A.O.U. Checklist no 258a — Colorado Records — Ridgway 73, p. 187 ; 

 Henshaw 75, p. 457 ; Allen & Brewster 83, p. 198 ; Drew 85, p. 18 ; 

 Morrison 88, p. 139 ; 89, p. 168 ; Cooke 97, pp. 19, 67, 200 ; Warren 

 06, p. 19 ; Horsey & Rockwell 09, p. 116. 



Description. — In summer — Above ashy-grey, streaked with dusky 

 to a varying degree, chiefly along the centres of the feathers ; upper 

 tail-coverts white, some of the longer ones barred with dusky ; primaries 

 dusky, white on the basal half, making a conspicuous white wing-patch ; 

 most of the secondaries white ; below white, fore-neck spotted, breast 

 and sides marked with transverse bars of dusky, often a Uttle pale 

 rufous as well ; iris brown, bill dusky, legs bluish. Length 14-5 ; 

 wing 8-75 ; tail 3-2 ; culmen 2-5 ; tarsus 2-6. 



In winter the birds are nearly uniform ashy above, and white 

 below, shaded on the fore-neck with greyish. Young birds are darker 

 and more brown above, the feathers edged with ochraceous. 



Distribution. — Breeding from Manitoba and Alberta south to Texas, 

 west of the Mississippi ; in winter further south into Mexico. 



The Willet is fairly conunon in Colorado on migration, while a certain 

 number of birds are said to remain to breed, both in the plains and 

 mountains up to 12,000 feet (Morrison), though I have not been 

 able to find any definite account of the nest and eggs being taken in 

 the State. 



It arrives from the south about the first week in May and has been 

 noticed at Monon, April 28th (Warren), Fort Lyon, May 2nd (Thorne), 

 near Colorado Springs, May 1 — 7th (Aiken coll.), Denver, May 10th 

 (Henshaw), Barr, common in spring (Hersey & Rockwell), and Love- 

 land, April 27th, May 5th (W. G. Smith) — in the plains — and at 

 Crested Butte, May (Warren), and Breckenridgo (Carter) — in the 

 mountains. Morrison found it common near Fort Lewis in September, 

 and Aiken procured a bird of the year, August 29th, close to Leadville. 



Habits. — This large and conspicuous bird is found 

 about marshes and lakes, where it obtains its food among 

 the stones and weeds. It is very restless and noisy, 

 especially when its breeding-places are invaded. 



