TOTANUS SEMIPALMATUS, WILLET. 495 



Catopfroplwrus semipaJmatus, Bp., List, 1838, 51. — Blas., List B. Eur. 18G2, 18 (Sweden). 



Gloiiin semipahnafa, Nll.s.sON, Fu. Siiec. 1817. 



Hoditin scmipulmata, Kaip, Sk. Eiit. Eur. 1829. 



Symphcmia scmipdlmuta, Hai;tl., R. Z. 184r), 342.— Bd., B. N. A. 18.'i8, 729.— Buy., Pr. 

 Bost. Soc. vii, 1859 (Bahamas).— Cab., J. f. O. iv, 351 (Cuba).- ScL., P. Z. S. 

 1860, 253 (Orizaba).— Cass., Pr. Phila. Acad. 1^■G0, 195 (Carthageua).— Coop. & 

 Suck., N. H. Wash. Ter. 1860. 240.— Wheat., Ohio Aj-ric. Rep. 1860. No. 214.— 

 CouES & Pi:i-:xT., Sniitlis. Rep. 1861, 416.— Boakum., Pr. 13ost. Soc. ix, 1862, 129 

 (Maine, breeds). — CoVKS, ibid, xii, 1868, 122 (South Carolina, resident). — Vehu., 

 Pr. Ess. Inst, iii, 1862, 1,59. — AiXEX, ibid, iv, 1864, 77 (Massachusetts, perhaps 

 breeding). — CouES, ibid, v, 1868, 295 (New England, in snninier) — Dhess., 

 Ibis, 1866, 37 (Texas).— Sai.v., Ibis, 1866, 178 (Guatemala). — Lawh., Ann. Lye. 

 N. Y. vii, 272 (Cuba); viii, 1866, 294; ix, 210 (Yucatan).— TunxB., B. E. Pa. 

 1868, 31 (in summer).— Mayn., Guide, 1870, 141.— Allen., Bull. M. C. Z. ii, 1871, 

 356 (Florida, resident).— Coues, Pr. Phila. Acad. 1866, 97 (Arizona); 1871,32 

 (North Carolina, breeding and resident). — Sxow, B. Kans. 1?^73, 10. — Meuh.. U. 

 S. Geol. Surv. Ter. 1872, 700 (Utah and Idaho).— RioGW., Ann. Lye. N. Y. x, 

 1874, 384 (Dlinois). 



Totanns crassirostrifi, Vieill., Nouv. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. 1816, 406. 



Sii)nphemia atlniitica, Rakinesque, Journ. Phys. Ixxxviii, 1819,417. 



(?) Totanns sptculiferus, Cuv., R. A. i, 1817, 351.— PlClL, R. and M. Z. iii, 1851, 569, 



Hab. — Temperate North America, north to 56'^, but chiefly United States. Breeds 

 throughout its United States range. Riesideut in the Southern States. Common in 

 the interior, but more so along the coast. West Indies. Central and South America 

 (Pelz., Orn. Bras. 309). Accidental in Europe (Gould, B. Eur. pi. 311). 



Lieutenant Warren's Exptdition. — 5434, Medicine Creek ; 8998, (no label). 



Later Expeditions.— b^r^lO, Colorado ; 61638-9, Salt Lake, Utah ; 62358, N. Fork, Idaho. 



Not obtained by Captain Rayiiolds' Expedition. 



The Willet is distributed across North America; but, unlike many of 

 its allies, its northern dispersion is restricted, and it breeds anywhere 

 in the United States in snitable resorts. 1 have found it wherever I 

 have been in the United States. There were a few on the Upper Rio 

 Grande when I crossed' that river in June, 18G4, and during the same 

 month I saw manj' more westward, in New Mexico, esi)ecially along the 

 Zuni River, where I am sure they were breeding. Some resided in a 

 mar.shy tract near Fort Whip])le, in Arizona. Others occurred to me 

 in June and July in Eastern Dakota. On the North Carolina coast I 

 found the bird breeding in great numbers in the marshy Hats just back 

 of the Ix^ach in May and June. 



The nest is placed near the water of some secluded pool, or in the 

 midst of a marsh, whether fresh or salt, in a tussock of grass or rushes. 

 It is a rude structure, of the simplest materials, raised a little way from 

 the ground, and with a shallow indentation. The eggs are very vari- 

 able in all resi)ects. As to size and shape, the following measurements 

 show the ditt'erences: 1.90 by 1.45; 1.05 by 1.50; 2.00 by 1.50; 2.05 by 

 * 1.55; 2.12 by 1..50 ; averaging about 2.00 l)y 1.50. They are less point- 

 edly pyriform than the eggs of the smaller Tattlers and Sandpipers. 

 The ground is sometimes brownish-olive, or drab, or clay-color ; some- 

 times, again, (piite butty-brown ; in a few cases greenish or grayish- 

 white. The si)()tting is bold and distinct, but little massed even at the 

 grt'ater end, wiiere, though the spots are largest and most mnnerous, 

 they generally remain distinct. The s[)ots are mostly clean-edged and 

 sharp, of moderate size, but sometimes <piite tine and scratchy. They 

 are ol' various umber-brown shades, and acconii»anied with the usual 

 obsoU'te shell- markings. 



Lender ordinary circunislances Willets are notoiiously restless, wary, 

 and noi.sy birds; but their nature is changed, or, at any rate, held iu 

 abeyaiK^', during and for a slioit time alter incubation. They cease 

 their cries, gro'v less unea.sy, become gentle, if still suspicious, and may 

 geneially be seen stalking (piietlv about the nest. \Vhen Willets are 

 found in that humor — absent-mintled, as it were, absorbed in retlection 



