AMERICAN KNOT 137 



Ground color varying: from white with the faintest tinge of light olive (1 

 egg) to "olive buff" (2 eggs) and deep "olive buff" (1 egg) ; clouded and 

 spotted, especially at the larger end, with shades of color varying from " dark 

 olive buff " to " olive brownish," the intensity varying in direct proportion to 

 the intensity of the ground color ; where the spots coalesce into blotches at 

 the larger end of the darkest egg, the color is blackish brown ; the spotting is 

 scant at the smaller end. 



Referring in his notes to the same two sets of eggs, Doctor 

 Ekblaw describes the ground colors as varying from very light pea- 

 green, almost gray, to dark pea-green, " with brown, umber, and 

 almost black dots and blotches of varying size and shape over the 

 green, and faint subcrustal lavender blotches showing through." 

 Other eggs which I have seen figured or described would fit these 

 descriptions fairly well. The measurements of 42 eggs average 

 43.1 by 29.6 millimeters; the eggs showing the four extremes measure 

 49.8 by 33.8, 39.9 by 29.7 and 41.5 by 27.7 millimeters. 



Young. — The period of incubation is said to be between 20 and 

 25 days. Both sexes have been taken with incubation patches, so 

 this duty is doubtless shared by both. I quote from Doctor Ekblaw's 

 notes again : 



Though we found but two clutches of eggs, we discovered many families 

 of young birds. They are able to leave the nest as soon as hatched, little gray 

 downy chicks with faint blotches of brown, so like the dried tufts of dryas 

 as to be quite undiscoverable when hidden among them. Three or four, or 

 rarely five, chicks constitute the group. Their faint plaintive " cheeps " are 

 so ventriloquistic and illusory that it is impossible to distinguish the direction 

 from which they come. When an intruder approaches the little fellows squat 

 at the signal from the parent bird wherever they happen to be at the time, 

 and remain immovable as the pebbles and tufts of dryas until the danger is 

 over, even though it be hours before the safety seems assured. Even the 

 tiniest of these downy fledglings seem able to look after themselves. They 

 run eagerly and constantly about independently pursuing the moths, crane flies, 

 and flies upon which they feed, often 40 or 50 feet from their mother. The 

 first signal from the mother, a mellow, solicitous coo-ee transforms them into 

 immovable pebbles or tufts of dryas. When they are discovered and realize 

 that their concealment is no longer effective, they scatter panic stricken like 

 a flock of little chickens, chirping appealingly to their " mother " who dashes 

 valiantly to their defense, quite beside "herself" with concern, fear, and 

 anger. 



Whenever the jaegers, relentless brigands of birdland, appear, the old knots 

 do not hesitate to attack. In combining their forces, they drive full into the 

 bigger birds, striking them from beneath again and again, until they chase 

 them away. The young grow fast. In three weeks after hatching they are 

 almost full grown and half-clothed in feathers, quite capable of taking care 

 of themselves. They stay until they leave among the interior plains and 

 plateaus, coming down to shore only when they are able to fly — and then the 

 southward migration begins at once. 



Apparently, the knots, like the phalaropes, reverse part of their secondary sex 

 characteristics, for all the birds caring for the young that I collected were 

 males, beyond doubt When I examined the first bird that I collected with its 



