WAFDEEING TATTLER 45 



the water from its plumage and soon resumes its feeding. B. J. 

 Bretherton (1896) says that on Kodiak Island: 



This species seemed to liabitually frequent tlie sand or gravel beaches in 

 preference to rocky localities, and had regular feeding grounds to which they 

 resorted at certain stages of the tide, returning regularly each day at the same 

 time. Their food consists largely of decapods together with small crabs, 

 marine worms, and minute mollusks. 



Its food seems to be mainly insects, but includes small crustaceans, 

 minute mollusks, marine worms, and other small marine animals. 

 The contents of six stomachs, reported on by Preble and McAtee 

 (1923) consisted of "flies (Diptera), 46.1 per cent; caddis flies 30.6 

 per cent ; amphipods, 16 per cent ; mollusks, 3.6 per cent ; and beetles 

 1.1 per cent." 



Behavior. — The movements of wandering tattlers are often sugges- 

 tive of spotted sandpipers with which they are sometimes associated ; 

 they indulge in the same " tip-up " motion of the body, though less 

 frequently ; and their flight is very similar, with intermittent strokes 

 of down-curved wings. W. Leon Dawson (1923) says: 



When it alights, it sits for some time motionless in a plover like attitude, 

 with its long bill held horizontally, invisible, in the dull light of a foggy day, 

 unless, perchance, outlined against the surf. At other times the bird will be- 

 tray its uneasiness by a jetting motion of the tail. 



In his notes on the Farallones, Mr. Dawson (1911) says: 



Contrary to earlier statements these tattlers do spend a considerable portion 

 of their time upon the higher ground. The tiny bowlder-strewn meadow sur- 

 rounding my earlier camp (just east of Franconia Beach) was a favorite rest- 

 ing place for them, and I am inclined to think the birds spent the night there, 

 for some were invariably startled upon my first appearance mornings. Having 

 a common affection for the tide reefs, wandering tattlers are not infrequently 

 found in loose association with black turnstones; but when put to flight they 

 pay no attention whatever to the fortunes of their chance shipmates nor to 

 others of their own kind. 



Dr. E. W. Nelson (1883) writes: 



Their note is a loud, ringing whistle, which seems specially fitted to the 

 bird and the haunts it occupies, and as the shrill cry reechoes from the towering 

 cliffs and ledges at the base of v/hich it feeds its peculiar character and 

 Intonation might lead one to fancy some genie of the rocks was uttering its 

 :ry. When the birds are approached by boat as they are feeding along the 

 water's edge they ascend gradually, with an expression of mild curiosity, and 

 pass from ledge to ledge until they reach a jutting point on the face of the 

 cliff or its brow, where they stand in relief, like beautiful clear-cut statuettes, 

 and do not utter a sound or move until they are still further alarmed, when 

 they take flight, uttering at the same moment their loud note before mentioned. 



Voice. — Doctor Nelson (1880) describes its note as " a loud, ringing 

 kla, kla, hla^"^ and again he (1887) calls it " a loud, clear, flutelike 

 tu^ tu^ tu, tu.^^ Mr. Dawson (1923) says it is " a quavering cry, some- 



