142 BULLETIN" 142, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



The adults begin to arrive on Cape Cod about the middle of July ; 

 the height of their abundance comes about the first week in August 

 and most of them disappear during that month, although Mr. 

 Mackay (1893) has recorded them in October, December, and Feb- 

 ruary. The young birds begin to arrive there about August 20, but 

 the main flight of " graybacks," as the young are called on this coast, 

 comes along in September and early October, stragglers sometimes 

 lingering into November. When with us, knots frequent the beaches ; 

 although they are found on both sandy and stony beaches, I have 

 sometimes thought that they preferred the pebbly beaches, feeding 

 close to the water line, where they are often surprisingly invisible 

 among the variously colored stones. They are not shy, as a rule, and 

 generally allow a close approach before they fly off swiftly, uttering 

 their characteristic notes. At high tide, when their feeding grounds 

 are covered, they resort to the high beaches to rest, preen their 

 plumage, and sleep. 



By July 20 the first birds have reached South Carolina, where some 

 remain until October 15. We saw what was probably the last of the 

 migration on the west coast of Florida in 1924. The knots were 

 there when we arrived on November 11. During a northerly gale 

 and after a heavy rain on the 21st I saw several small flocks on the 

 high and dry sand of an exposed beach, huddled together in com- 

 pact bunches and reluctant to move. The last birds were seen on 

 the 26th. 



In the interior the knot seems to be even rarer in the fall than in 

 the spring, but on the Pacific coast the reverse seems to be the case. 

 It is regarded as rather rare in Alaska, but F. S. Hersey collected 

 a small series for me at St. Michael on August 4 and 8, 1915, and 

 H. B. Conover took two at Golovin Bay on August 14, 1924. D. E. 

 Brown's notes record them at Grays Harbor, Washington, from 

 August 21 to November 2, 1917. 



Game. — Although no longer on the game-bird list, the knot is a 

 good game bird. It flies in compact flocks, comes well to the decoys 

 when attracted by the whistle of an experienced caller, flies rather 

 swiftly, and makes a good table bird, for it is of good size and 

 usually fat. It was always included in the list of what we used 

 to call "big birds." On Cape Cod knots in all plumages are called 

 " redbreasts " by the gunners, though the name " grayback " is often 

 applied to the young birds. Mr. Mackay (1893) says: 



When shy and coming to decoys to alight, they barely touch their feet to the 

 sand before they discover their mistake and are off in an instant. They fly 

 quickly and closely together and, when coming to decoys, usually pass by them 

 down wind, most of the flock whistling, then suddenly wheeling with heads to 

 the wind, and up to the decoys. At such times many are killed at one discharge. 



