134 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. 



with or without traces of black and bay, the feathers usually with white 

 edging ; line over the eye and under parts white ; the jugulum and sides 

 sufifused with the color of the back, and streaked with dusky ; legs, usually pale. 

 Length, 8-9 inches; wing, 5; tail, 2^; bill and tarsus, both H-lg; middle toe, 1. 



Hab. — Eastern Province of North America, breeding north of the United 

 States, and migrating in winter to the West Indies, Central and South America. 



Nest, a depression in the ground, lined with grass and leaves. 



Eggs, three or four, light-drab or grayish -white, with bold spots and 

 markings of chestnut-brown. 



I have some scruples about including this species in my list, for 1 

 have no record of its having been taken within the Province; but, 

 when we consider that it breeds to the north of us, and winters far 

 to the south, there can be no reasonable doubt that it passes through 

 Ontario. Being rather a scarce species, it may have escaped the 

 notice of sportsmen, or it may have been taken and no recoi'd made 

 of the occurrence. I anticipate that when this list is made public, I 

 shall learn of birds having been found in Ontario which are not 

 included here, for the simple reason that I had not heard of them. 

 There is no convenient way of placing such records before the public, 

 and they drop out of sight and are forgotten. 



It is to be hoped that the writer of the next list of the birds of 

 Ontario will, for this reason, have many additions to make to the 

 present one. 



While this article is in the hands of the printer, Mr. Cross, taxi- 

 dermist, of Toronto, sends me a bird for identification, which proves 

 to be this species. It is one of two which were shot near Toronto 

 about the 25th of June last, by Mr. Heinrich. Mr. Cross has made 

 a happy hit in mounting them. They look like a pair of miniature 

 curlews. 



The above was written eight years ago, and since then there has 

 been but little to add to our acquaintance with this species in 

 Ontario. That little comes from Toronto, where the birds seem to 

 have found a place to suit them, but I fear they are not to be 

 allowed peaceful possession of the same. The first record appears 

 in the report of the Ornithological Sub-section of the Canadian Insti- 

 tute for 1889, where it is stated: "On September 26th, we secured 

 three of these rare Sandpipers, all shot at Toronto." At a meeting^ 

 of the same sub-section, held on the 2.3rd September, 1890, it was 

 stated by Mr. T. Hannar, that on the 28th July he shot a fine Stilt 

 Sandpiper on Ashbridge's Bar. The fact of this specimen having 

 been obtained in July would indicate that the birds are breeding in 

 that neighborhood, but so far we have no account of their nests. 



