168 NEW YORK, ZOOLOGICALS SOCIETY: 
8. American Oyster-Catcher (Hematopus palliatus, Temm.). 
Two pairs of these handsome birds were on the island during our 
stay. We were told that both pairs had bred on the beach in 
April, but we saw no signs of young birds. The long legs and 
straight coral-red beak serves to distinguish this species at a con- 
siderable distance. ‘This forlorn hope of Oyster-Catchers arrives 
about the first of April and leaves for the South in September. 
With suitable protection these interesting birds should breed 
abundantly here, even though oysters are much less numerous 
than formerly. Their eggs are hatched and the young birds 
fledged before the gulls and terns begin to breed. 
The mandibles of the Oyster-Catcher are thin, knife-like blades, 
and show very distinctly the rough usage to which they are sub- 
jected in opening the shells of mollusks. One side is invariably 
worn down, and sometimes the bill is permanently bent from the 
constant prying strain. I noticed these birds feeding on small 
sand-fleas. 
g. Wilson’s Plover (Ochthodromus wilsonius, Ord.). We 
found six of these dainty birds. These also were reported to 
have bred in April, but no young birds were on Cobb Island 
while we remained there. Their time of arriving and leaving is 
about the same as the oyster catcher, and like those birds they 
seem only waiting the chance to cover the sands with flocks of 
their black-banded scurrying little forms. Their food consists 
of small crustaceans and insects. 
10. Long-Billed Curlew (Nwmenius longirostris, Wils.). A 
few individuals of this rather rare species flew past the island 
during our stay. 
11. Hudsonian Curlew or “Jack” Curlew (Numenius hud- 
sonicus, Lath.). These long-legged birds nest in Alaska and 
other parts of the far north, and the several small flocks which we 
saw on Cobb Island were the first of the great host of migrants 
which wing their way each year from their breeding-grounds to 
the marshes of South America. 
12. Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularia, Linn.). Five or 
six Spotted Sandpipers teetered along the mud-flats near our land- 
ing, busily seeking out the worms and snails left exposed by the 
tide. They doubtless breed on the adjacent mainland. 
13. Willet (Symphemia semipalmata, Gmel.). At least two 
pairs of Willets were breeding on the island. They were greatly 
concerned when we approached close to where their eggs, or prob- 
ably young, were concealed. They uttered their plaintive “willy- 
willy” and fluttered over our heads with dangling legs, or 
