240 SCOLOPACID.E : SNIPE, ETC. 



latter author also furnishes the most conclusive evidence 

 we have that the bird actually breeds in New England. 

 He heard of one having been shot by Mr. Jenness 

 Richardson, about the middle of May, 1878, in Castle- 

 ton, Vt., near a nest from which one egg was obtained. 

 The nest was a mere depression in the ground, in a 

 pasture bordering a swamp ; the bird was discovered on 

 it, " This egg resembles no egg in my possession, and 

 in its appearance there is something suggestive of an 

 egg prematurely cut from the parent. It is smaller 

 than I anticipated, measuring only 1.37 X 0.95, while 

 the egg of Totajiiis ochropus, which bird closely cor- 

 responds in size and appearance with our Solitary, 

 measures 1.50 X i.io. The ground color is a light drab, 

 similar to that of ^gialitcs mclodns. Over this are 

 scattered small, rounded markings of brown, some of 

 these quite dark, nowhere confluent, and never large 

 enough to be called blotches. At the larger end are 

 a few faint purplish or lilac discolorations or shell- 

 markings. In shape it is an elongated pyriform." 

 (Bull. Nutt. Club, iii, 1878, p. 197.) 



The Solitary Sandpiper ordinarily appears in New 

 England by the end of April or early in May, and 

 remains until October — exceptionally until November, 

 as in the case recorded by Maynard, as above cited. It 

 is not a bird of the shore or open marsh, but of pools 

 and ditches, ponds under cover, and other retired wet 

 places. Though a timid bird, like most of its tribe, it is 

 under ordinary circumstances familiar and unsuspicious, 

 often permitting a close approach before taking flight. 



