WESTERN" SANDPIPER 257 



Nesting. — Herbert W. Brandt, who has had extensive experience 

 with the nesting habits of this species, says in his manuscript notes : 



The gentle little western sandpiper is the most abundant and most widely dis- 

 tributed shore bird occurring in the Hooper Bay region. Throughout the area, 

 Avherever dry ground is found, it is plentiful, and it even occurs on the lower 

 mountain slopes of the Askinuk Range. Before the tundra had discarded its 

 snowy mantle the first birds of this species had responded to the lure of early 

 spring, for they arrived on May 14, and two days later they were common, 

 while on May 20 they were abundant, carrying on everywhere their dainty 

 aerial butterfly courtship. The western sandpiper is usually found in large 

 scattering colonies especially on the upland tundra where for large areas they 

 average one or two pairs to the acre. Isolated couples, however, are occasion- 

 ally encountered. 



The nest of the western sandpiper is well concealed from view by the sur- 

 rounding curly bunch-grass that everywhere in the dryer areas forces its way 

 up amid the moss. Under this protection a depression is made and scantily 

 lined with grass, and usually in addition with considerable tiny leaves of the 

 prostrate berry-bearing vines, of the dwarf birch, and of the reindeer moss 

 stems. In consequence, the nest is very fragile and loosely made, but before 

 it is disturbed it is neatly cup-shaped. The range of measurements of 32 nests 

 is : Inside diameter, 2 to 3 inches ; depth of cavity, 1% to 3 inches ; and total 

 depth, 2% to 4 inches. Both male and female share in the tender duties of 

 incubation and are often very loath to forsake their nest, so that when crossing 

 their chosen haunts an incubating bird, by fluttering up before one's very feet, 

 will occasionally unwittingly betray its well-concealed abode. 



These charming little creatures are most brave, even eager in defense of 

 their homes, often charging with puffed-out feathers and head drawn against 

 the body to make themselves look as formidable as possible. Their tameness 

 and familiarity are remarkable. Often after we had removed the eggs the 

 parent would go to the empty nest, sit on it for a little while, then come out, 

 her little body a-purr with agitation, and inquire in her thin incessant voice 

 what had become of the eggs. It is little wonder that I shot very few specimens 

 for identification purposes. This tiny sandpiper had won too deep a place in 

 my affections. 



The confiding nature of these birds is referred to by other writers. 

 Doctor Nelson (1887) tells how one of his men lay on the ground 

 with his outstretched hand close beside a nest; but the bird soon 

 returned, crossed his arm and settled on the nest, where she was 

 caught with turn of his hand and released. Alfred M. Bailey (1926) 

 placed his " hat over one set of eggs, leaving just room for the parent 

 bird to crawl under, which she immediately proceeded to do." 



Eggs. — Herbert W. Brandt has given me the following good 

 description of his 120 eggs of this species, collected by him at 

 Hooper Bay, Alaska : 



Four eggs always constitute a complete set with the western sandpiper, but 

 occasionally late nests with three eggs in each were observed, which were 

 probably second layings. They are pyriform to subpyriform in shape and 

 are placed in the nest with the small ends together and pointed downward, 

 snuggling amid the loose interior contents of the nest. The shell is smooth, 



