168 



ORI^ITHOLOaiST 



[Vol. 13-No. 11 



they are very variable in coloration aud would 

 have to be described from a larg;e series. The 

 general ground color is of a buffish-whlte, 

 spotted, sometimes blotched, with umber, 

 different shades of brown, and chocolate, gen- 

 erally thickest at the larger end, but nearly as 

 often these markings are at the small end, or 

 about evenly distributed over t)ie entire egg. 

 This bird ranges to 14,000 and l."),000 feet after 

 the breeding season is over. 



74. 'J'rinrja minutiUa Vieill. Least Sand- 

 piper. Transient visitant; common. Not 

 known to breed. Arrives by middle to last of 

 April, only a few seen in May in southern 

 portions, but they lingei' longer in the vicinity 

 of the mountains, where they may yet be found 

 to breed. 



75. Triiiija alpina pricifica (Cones). Red- 

 backed Sandpiper. Transient visitant; rare. 

 But little is known of the occurrence of the bird 

 in the state, Mr. Ridgway"R is the onl)' record, 

 and upon his authority entered in this list aud 

 that of Drew. A little more careful investiga- 

 tion will no doubt bring it to light wlien pro- 

 bably it will not be found to be rare. 



76. Eri'iinetes pusillns (Linn). Semipal- 

 niated Sandpiper. Transient visitant; not 

 conniion. Noted by Drew at 7,000 feet in 

 spring and autumn. Also reported by Capt. 

 Thorne from eastern Colorado, and Allen & 

 Urewster " Saw fresh specimens at Aikeiis, 

 killed in May" at Colorado Springs. E. oeciden- 

 talis Lawr. should occur, liul has not yet been 

 reported. 



77. Limasa fnlon (Linn). Marbled Uoilwit. 

 Transient visitant; not common. No record of 

 its breeding although it may do so. 



78. Tdtanus melanolcnmis (Umel). Greater 

 Yellow-legs. Transient visitant; connnon 

 where there is water. Reported by Drew, 

 Smith of Loveland, and Thorne in eastern 

 Colorado. 



79. Tiitanus flavipcis (Gmel). Yellow-legs. 

 Transient visitant; common. Observed by all 

 the members. Breeds far north, returns in 

 August, and remains with us a time in the fall. 

 Drew gives it at 7,000 feet in summer but 

 questions its breeding at this elevation. 



80. Tdtanus solitariiis (Wils). Solitary 

 Sandpipei'. Summer visitant; common. Breeds 

 at 10,000 feet. (Di-ew) Mr. Allen* saw it in 

 August. Why the name of Solitary is given to 

 this species I cannot see, unless it is because 

 they are not as gregarious as the rest of this 

 family, I have seen them in large Hocks, and in 



♦Bull M. C. Z. Vol. Ill, No. B, .July 187'2. 



company with other waders, although they do 

 not seem to invite said company. They often 

 are found in wooded country where no other 

 waders are to be seen, perhaps this is why it 

 has thus been named, aud not for its being 

 found singlv, or in pairs, for this is the excep- 

 tion and not tlie rule. 



81. Symphemia snnipalmata (Gmel). VVillct. 

 Summer visitant ; tolerably common. I found 

 this species rare at Fort Lewis, but in the fall, 

 during the rainy season it would appear from 

 its breeding places in the mountains and asso- 

 ciate for a few days with a flock of pigeons 

 bel(U)ging to the post trader. I said for a few 

 days, but I should have said until such time as 

 the post trader could get his gun loaded, for 

 many times in the fall liave I heard the report 

 of a gun and upon inquiry found he was " only 

 shooting a few Jack .Snipe" as he called them, 

 I maiiiiged to secure a few specimens but onlj' 

 did so by keeping a sharp ej'e on tlie pigeons 

 during heavy rains in .September. Drew gives 

 its breeding rauge at 7,000 feet, but it must 

 breed as high as 12,000 in Southwestern Colo- 

 rado, aud as low as 5,000. 



82. Bartramia lunyiranJa (Bechst). Bartra- 

 mian .Sandpiper. Summer visitant; common. 

 Most abundant duiing ndgration. Breeds upon 

 open prairies and feeds principally upon grass- 

 hoppeis and insects. A well-known bird to 

 sportsmen, as they are considered a delicacy in 

 the fall, when they get veiy fat, and juicy. I 

 have never seen them about water, but among 

 old dried parts of the prairie which have been 

 overflowed during the rains. 



S>i. Actitis macidiiriii (\Am\). Spotted Sand- 

 piper. Summer visitant; common. Breeds 

 from the plains up to 12,000 aud possibly 

 liigher. I have found it common just before 

 the fall migration about the ponds and lakes at 

 14.000 feet, and where the only trees are small 

 clumps of the quaking aspen, the pines being at 

 least a hundred feet lower. Tri/mjUes siihruji- 

 cullis should be diligently sought for. 



84. NuDU'ititts hitK/inislris Wils. Long- 

 billed Cm lew. .Sunjiner visitant; common. 

 Breeds abundantly in snitalile localities. As I 

 write there are three ('urlews cm the grassy flat 

 in front of mj' house, not tifty yards from the 

 door, they are veiy unsuspicious and I passed 

 them within five yards a< I came home. They 

 eveiy uow aud then rise on the wing, uttering 

 their hoarse, unmusical cry. and after describ- 

 ing a few circles alight in the same spot. Upon 

 examining the place I find many small mollusks 

 upon Ibegr-ouud, upon which tliey are probably 

 feeding, .■ind this is no doubt the reason why 

 they are so fond of this particular locality this 

 morning. Found up to 7,500 feet. 

 (To lie ctiiitinui'tl.) 



