Jan., 1909. Birds of Illinois and Wisconsin — Cory. 415 



range during the summer months and the fact that they are in breed- 

 ing plumage is not sufficient evidence that they are nesting. That 

 a few may do so, however, is shown by Nelson's statement in his Birds 

 of N. E. Illinois (Bull. Essex Inst., VIII, 1876, p. 128 ) where he says: 

 "A few breed. I obtained the young barely able to fly near a prairie 

 slough the first of July, 1874, a few miles from Chicago, and have 

 since observed several pairs during the breeding season about the Calu- 

 met marshes." Kumlien and Hollister state: "Formerly bred at 

 Lake Koshkonong, Horicon Lake, about Lake Pacana, and presum- 

 ably in other localities. '■= '•' '^ * "= * Young still unable to fly are 

 yet obtainable about Lake Koshkonong in July, but of late years 

 not commonly." (Birds of Wisconsin, 1903, p. 49.) 



The eggs are three or four, pale brown or buff, irregularly marked 

 with dark brown, and measure about 1.70 x 1.15. 



Genus HELODROMAS Kaup. 



126. Helodromas solitarius (Wils.). 

 Solitary Sandpiper. 



Totanus solitarius (Wils.), A. O. U. Check List, 1895, p. 94. 

 Distr.: North America, chiefly east of the Rocky Mountains; south 

 in winter to Argentine Republic and Peru; breeds from northern 

 United States northward. 



Adult in summer: Top of head and back, and 

 upper tail coverts, bronzy green, dotted with white; 

 under parts, white; the breast, thickly streaked 

 Axiiiars. ^j^(-j dotted brown ; bill, greenish brown (in life), 



dusky, terminally; axiiiars, white, heavily barred with smoky black. 



Adult ill winter: Upper parts, including upper tail coverts, 

 olive brown, showing a faint, greenish gloss when held in the light, 

 the feathers faintly dotted with dull white; throat, white; breast, 

 streaked with brown; rest of under parts, white; axiiiars, heavily 

 barred. 



Length, 8.50; wing, 5.30; tarsus, 1.20; bill, j .30. 

 The Solitary Sandpiper is a rather common migrant in Illinois 

 and Wisconsin and a casual summer resident in both states, frequent- 

 ing the shores of the rivers and ponds. Although the eggs have never 

 been taken within our limits it undoubtedly breeds. 



Nelson writes (Birds of N. E. Illinois, 1876, p. 129): "Common 

 migrant. Arrives about the first of May and remains until about the 



