98 ZOOLOGY. 



ARDEA MINOR. 



The American Bittern. 



The bittern, like the blue heron, is common throughout California and Oregon. On upper 

 Pit river we saw large numbers of them. 



AKDEA EXILIS. 



Least Bittern. 



This little heron we found rather common along the Sacramento, but not northward of the 

 Sacramento valley. 



TOTANUS FLAVIPES. 



The Yellow Shanks Tatler. 

 This bird we saw occasionally in California and Oregon. At Bhett lake and Klamath marsh, 

 which last is half marsh, half lake, and the resort of incredible numbers of water fowl, we 

 found the yellow shanks abundant. 



TOTANUS MELANOLEUCUS. 

 The Tell-Tale. 

 Not uncommon in the vicinity of San Francisco and on the Columbia. 



TRINGA ALPINA. 

 The Dunlin. 

 Common about San Francisco and on the Columbia. 



TRINGA SEMIPALMATA. 

 Semipalmated Sandpiper. 

 Common about San Francisco, California. 



PHALAROPUS FULICARIUS. 



We saw this species in small flocks, sometimes thirty or forty miles from land, off the coast of 

 California, in November and December, 1855. 



PHALAROPUS HYPERBOREUS. 



I found this interesting bird evidently spending the summer on the upper branches of the 

 Des Chutes river, in the Cascade mountains, in Oregon. At the time of our visit to that region 

 the period of nesting had long passed, and the broods were living together till such time as 

 their annual migration should commence. 



I was particularly interested by the sprightly, sportive habits of these birds, and by the 

 elegance of their movements on the water. Sometimes, as I sat quietly on the banks of the 

 river, a little company of these neatly dressed phalaropes would float by, quite careless of the 

 fact that they were borne rapidly down by the current, and wholly occupied in their sports, 

 circling about each other with the ease and grace of skaters on ice, or swallows in the air. 

 When alarmed they flew swiftly up the stream, uttering s,peet, peet, much after the manner of 

 the sandpipers. 



