82 THE WILSON BULLETIN— June, 1921 



I heard a faint peeping sound enianatin<i from the room in 

 which we had left tlie collecting basket. Upon investiga- 

 tion, I discovered that the Wilson's Plover egg had hatched^ 

 and the downy yonngster was actively running about the 

 room, seemingly much at home in its strange environment. 

 The specimen, preserved in alcohol, is now in Mr. Rossig- 

 nol's collection, 



Haematopiis paUiatus — Oyster-catcher. 



Although this fine bird nested abundantly on this coast 

 twenty or twenty-five years ago, as I am informed by T. D. 

 Perry, it is now soi rare that I have seen but two nests dur- 

 ing the past ten years. On May 10, 1915. Frank N. Irving, 

 in whose company I was, found a single egg deposited in a 

 depression on top of a wall of oyster shells on Raccoon 

 Key. On the IStli we returned to the Key, but discovered 

 that during our absence an unusually high tide had washed 

 the egg otf the wall. During an expedition to Cabbage 

 island on May 12, 1918, in quest of eggs of McGillivray'S^ 

 Seaside Sparrow {Passerherbulus maritimns nicgiUivritii)^. 

 T. D. Perry and I located a set of three slightly in- 

 cubated eggs of the Oyster-catcher. Tliese eggs also 

 were deposited in a slight depression on top of a 

 bank of oyster shells which had been thrown up by 

 the surf. Where nesting sites of this character can be 

 found, this species always selects them. The eggs are 

 creamy white or pale butf, thickl}" spotted with very dark 

 brown. They measure 2.25 x 1.50. This species is very 

 uncommon and widely scattered in this county during the 

 breeding season, as well as during the winter months, and 

 I have had almost no opportunities to observe its habits. 

 The few individuals that I have encountered were excess- 

 ively shy, leaving tlie vicinity at my approach. 



