BIRDS OF ESSEX COUNTY. 



171 



birds was wheeling and turning in sandpiper fashion near the island, showing 

 first their dark backs, and then their white bellies. They finally alighted on a 

 steeply sloping rock close to the water's edge on the northeastern point of the 

 island so that they could be watched with binoculars and telescope from the 

 shore. Fifty-eight birds were in sight and there were fully half as many more 

 on the other side of the rock, hidden from view, except when they jumped up 

 from time to time. The flock must have numbered seventy-five. The tide was 

 high and the birds were evidently trying to kill time until low water, when they 

 could gather their food from the seaweed-covered rocks. Most of them were 

 resting, squatting on the rock with head to the wind, their dark purplish gray 

 backs contrasting strongly with their white bellies. Others were slowly rais- 

 ing their wings over their backs, showing the white under surfaces. Again they 

 were chasing each other, making the sleepy ones jump suddenly, or running up 

 the rock to escape an unusually high wave, fluttering with their wings to help 

 themselves. From time to time they were joined by bunches of from five to 

 ten others. 



On the smaller rocks, little flocks of three or four are frequently to be seen 

 in winter. As they are not often molested, they are quite tame, and feed 

 unconcernedly, close to the edge of the waves. Their food consists chiefly, as I 

 have found from examinations of their stomachs, of small molluscs, especially 

 the edible mussel (Mytilus edulis). As a consequence of this diet their flesh 

 tastes coarse and fishy like that of the Scoters. 



The season of the year and the rocky stations proclaim the identity of this 

 bird. Their dark purple, almost black backs and upper breast contrast with 

 their white bellies. These latter sometimes have a slight salmon tint. Their 

 wings are white beneath, but seen from above look almost black with a white 

 line, made by the tips of the secondary coverts, and a small white patch, made 

 by the tips of the inner secondaries. The middle tail feathers show black, the 

 outer light gray. The basal third of the bill is orange, shading out to black in 

 the distal two thirds. The tarsi and feet are stout and of a light straw color. 



102 [239] Actodromas maculata (Vieill.). 

 Pectoral Sandpiper ; " Grass-bird " ; " Brown-back." 



Very rare spring, and abundant autumn transient visitor ; July 1 5 to 

 November 6. 



I have no spring records of this bird. When the weather conditions are 



