AMEKICAN KNOT 143 



Dr. L. C. Sanford (1903) writes: 



One of my pleasant recollections of shore-bird shooting is associated with this 

 bird. I give the date with some hesitation, for it was May 10, near Cobb 

 Island. During several days previous redbreast had been flying, but the tides 

 were not suitable, and it was useless to try for them. Here the flight is along 

 the outer beach, at the edge of the surf, the birds stopping to feed on the mud 

 flats exposed by the falling tide. The sun was not up and the water still high 

 as we set the decoys off one of the points along the beach, close to the breaking 

 waves; the blind was of seaweed, and before we were settled the first flock 

 passed by high up, but a pair of birds dropped out of it and hovered in front of 

 us; another minute and 10 more swung in. Flock after flock, from a few birds 

 to hundreds, passed in tbe same line, coming into sight over the ocean, striking 

 the beach and following its edge — now low just over the surf, now high up — the 

 first light of sunrise giving them a black appearance. The undulating character 

 of the flight was unmistakable and was in evidence when the dark line first 

 appeared — now distinct on the horizon, presently out of sight in the waves, all 

 of a sudden rising up over the decoys to circle in. Our chance lasted only a 

 few minutes, for when the flat was exposed the birds all passed by out of range; 

 occasionally we whistled in an odd one, but the flocks shied off. As we carried 

 back our basket of birds it did not occur to us that the experience of that 

 morning would be our last flight of redbreast, but it was. 



DISTRIBUTION 



Breeding range.— The breeding range of the knot in North America 

 is imperfect!} 7 known, but appears to extend north to Franklin 

 (Winter Harbor, Victoria Land, and Goose Fiord), and Grinnell 

 Land (Fort Conger). East, to Greenland (Floeberg Beach, Cape 

 Sheridan, North Star Bay, Tuctoo Valley, Bowdoin Bay, and Disco 

 Bay). South to southwestern Greenland (Disco Bay) and southern 

 Franklin (Igloolik, Winter Island, and Cambridge Bay). West to 

 Franklin (Cambridge Bay and Winter Harbor). Birds breeding 

 in northeast Greenland may be the European form. 



It has also been detected in summer in Alaska at Point Barrow, 

 Point Hope, St. Michael, and other localities, where it may possibly 

 breed. 



Winter range. — Not well known but in the Western Hemisphere, 

 seemingly most of South America, from Patagonia (Tierra del 

 Fuego) and Argentina (Barracus al Sucl and Cape San Antonio) on 

 the south, Peru (Santa Luzia and probably Tumbez) on the west, 

 Brazil (Iguape) on the east, to possibly Jamaica, Barbados, rarely 

 Louisiana (Vermilion Bay), and Florida (St. Marks). 



Spring migration. — Early dates of spring arrival on the Atlantic 

 coast are : South Carolina, Frogmore, April 8, and Egg Bank, April 

 16; North Carolina, Pea and Brodie Islands, April 18; Virginia 

 Locustville, April 10; New Jersey, Absecon Bay, April 21; New 

 York, Long Beach, Long Island, April 29, and Canandaigua Lake, 



