1870.] REEKS — ON BIRDS OF NEWFOUNDLAND. 295 



mon at Cow Head. I killed one specimen in September, 1867, 

 and saw a few others which appeared of the same species. 



Willet, Symphemia semipalmata (GmeUn). — Common in the 

 fall of the year, especially in the spotted or immature plumage. 



Tell Tale, or, Stone Snipe, Gambetta melanoleuca {Gmelin). — 

 A summer migrant, but not so common as the following species. 



Yellow Legs, or Yellow shanked Sandpiper, G. flavipes {Gmeliri)' 

 — A summer migrant, arriving in May and departing again in 

 October. A great many pairs breed in the marshes, but I think' 

 the majority pass on to more northern regions, and return in 

 August and September in increased numbers, generally at that 

 season very fat and much appreciated for the table, but being 

 small birds they are not usually shot at by the settlers unless four 

 or five can be killed at a shot. Sometimes they are very tame and 

 take little notice of men or dogs : at other times they are so wild 

 that I know no bird more difficult of approach, and then they are 

 a perfect nuisance to the sportsman, as they not only keep out of 

 range themselves, but alarm every other bird by their incessant cry 

 of '• twillick," " twillick." Many a blessing (?) have I bestowed on 

 these birds when, after crawling on my hands and knees a quarter 

 of a mile through long wet grass on boggy soil to get a shot at a 

 flock of black ducks (^Anas ohscura') , I have heard the everlasting 

 ''twillick" and seen the ducks take wing instantly, perhaps not 

 eighty yards from me. I fear, since my visit, many a skeleton of 

 poor "twillick" lies bleaching in the marshes by the sea-coast near 

 Cow Head. Provincial names of this bird are " twillick," 

 *' twillet" and *' nansary''— the latter name more frequently in the 

 south of the island. 



Solitary Sandpiper, Rhyacophilus solitarius (^Wilson.') — Not 

 uncommon in summer, generally towards autumn. 



Spotted Sandpiper, Tringoides macularius (^Linn.) — A common 

 summer migrant, arriving early in May : breeds on the coast, and 

 lays its four eggs sometimes in a hollow on the bare shingle ; at 

 other times in short grass, but always just above high-watermark. 

 Provincial name "wagtail." 



Bartram's Sandpiper, Aetiturus bartramius (Wilsoii). — Visits 

 Newfoundland periodically, but it is rarely met with during the 

 vernal migration. I doubt if it breeds in Newfoundland, although 

 known to do so on the mainland both north and south of that 

 island. Like the peewit at home this species prefers inland and 

 cultivated districts. 



