184 HISTORY OF THE 



mere depression in the ground on the border of a small lake 

 in the midst of marshy ground — was lined with withered grasses. 

 In this set the markings are large, pronounced and distinct, 

 sparsely distributed around the smaller end, and more numerous 

 and occasionally confluent about the obtuse end. They are 

 pyriform in sliape, and the smaller end is very sharply defined. 

 They average 1.25 inches in length, by .8G in breadth. An- 

 other set (No. 11271) of four eggs, in a nest found placed be- 

 tween two small lakes, and lined with withered grasses and 

 leaves, was obtained in the Barren Grounds, near Fort Ander- 

 son. In these eggs the spots are much finer, more numerous 

 about the smaller end, and there very fine, a little larger and 

 more confident about the larger extremity, and nearly conceal- 

 ing the grayish white or light drab-colored ground. These 

 measure 1.15 inches by .85. Four eggs (No. 11273) found 

 on an island in Franklin Bay, July ith, have markings still more 

 minute and numerous, universally diffused, and more or less 

 confluent over the entire egg, concealing the ground, and hav- 

 ing apparently very little resemblance to No. 11272. Four eggs 

 (No. 17041) were found by Mr. L. M. Turner. May 28th, 1871, 

 at St. Michael's. Their ground color is a light grayish buff, 

 thickly spotted with reddish sepia and darker sepia, chiefly on 

 the larger end. Their measurements are as follows: 1.20x. 80, 

 1.25X.85, 1.25X.90, 1.25x.85. 



Genus CALIDRIS Cuvier. 



"General characters of Tringa and Actodromas, but hind toe entirely ab- 

 sent. Bill straight, rather longer than the head, slightly expanded or spoon 

 shaped at end. Toes short, the middle one scarcely two-thirds the tarsus. 



"The only known species of this genus is nearly cosmopolitan in its range." 



Calidris arenaria (Linn.). 



SANDERLING. 

 PLATE XI. 



Reported by Prof. F. H. Snow, in his catalogue of the birds 

 of Kansas: "Migratory; rare. Taken at Lawrence, by W. E. 

 Stevens, October 7th, 1874."" 



B. 534. R. 543. C. (527. G. 251, 84. U. 248. 



Habitat. Nearly cosmopolitan, but breeding only in north- 

 ern portions of the northern hemisphere. 



