80 BIRDS OF THE HUDSON HIGHLANDS ; 



April. Its nest is merely a bed of leaves, and sometimes not even 

 that make-shift of a nest is used, but the eggs are deposited directly 

 upon the bare ground, as in one case where I found four eggs lying 

 upon the black earth, between two surface roots of a cedar-tree. 



John Lawson, in his "New Voyage to Carolina," printed in the 

 year 1709, gave the following quaint information concerning the habits 

 of the Woodcock and his appreciation of its flesh : " The Woodcocks 

 live and breed here, though they are not in great plenty, as I have 

 seen them in some Parts of England and other Places. They want 

 one-third of the English Woodcock in Bigness ; but differ not in 

 Shape, or Feather, save that their breast is of a Carnation Colour; 

 and they make a Noise (when they are on the Wing) like the Bells 

 about a Hawk's Legs. They are certainly as daiuty Meat as any 

 in the World. Their abode is in all Parts of this Country, in low, 

 boggy Ground, Springs, Swamps, and Percoarsons." 



159. Gallinago media wilsoni, Temminck. Wilson's Snipe. 

 A common spring and fall migrant. In autumn, most abundant during 

 October. In spring, I have taken it as late as April 19 (1879). 



Dimensions. — Average measurements of four males : length, 10*78; 

 stretch, 16*90; wing, 5 09; tail, 2-30; culmen, 2*46; tarsus, 1-20; mid- 

 dle toe, 1-18; its claw, -28. 



160. Ereunetes pusillus, Linne. Semipalmatp;d Sandpiper. 

 A migrant. Two specimens were shot from a flock on September 25, 

 1879, near Cold Spring. 



Dimensions. — Average measurements of two males (Nos. 2,000 and 

 2,001. $ $ ad. ad., Cold Spring, N. Y., September 25, 1879, E. A. M.) : 

 length, 6-03; stretch, 11-83 ; wing, 366; tail, 1-57; culmen, -68; gape, 

 •67; tarsus, -81; middle toe, -59; its claw, -12. 



161. Totamis melanoleucus, Gmelin. Greater Yellow- 

 Legs; Tell-Tale. A spring and fall migrant. 



162. Totanus flavipes, Gmelin. Yellow-Legs. A spring and 

 fall migrant. Both species of Totanus occur in occasional large 

 flocks, during migrations, but neither can be said to be common. 



163. Rhyacophilus solitarms, Wilson. Solitary Sand- 

 piper. Abundant during migrations, and late in summer. Arrives 

 in April (25, 1874), and remains until late in May (24, 1874; 19, 1876; 

 15, 1877). About midsummer it again appears (July 6 and 20, 1874), 

 and remains until October (15, 1876; September 25, 1879). 



This species is of occasional occurrence along the river-bank, and 

 usually quite abundant about small inland ponds. 



Dimensions. — Average measurements of six males: length, 8 36; 

 stretch, 16-33; wing, 5-20; tail, 2-30; culmen, 1 -11 ; gape, 125; tar- 

 sus, 1-20; middle toe, -96; its claw, -19. 



164. Tringoides macularius, Linne. Spotted Sandpiper. 



