136 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. 



shore of one of the inlets of the Bay. I did not see the Knot again 

 till May, 1884, when K. C. Mcllwraith killed four very fine speci- 

 mens in a moist vegetable garden on the beach. Dr. Wheaton met 

 with it only once in Ohio, and it is not mentioned in the " List of 

 the Birds of Western Ontario," from which it may be inferred that 

 we are not on the line of its migrations. 



Mr. White reports its occurrence at Ottawa but once. He says : 

 "On the 4th June, 1890, E. White obtained eight out of a flock of 

 about seventy birds. They were all in full adult plumage, but, 

 strange to say, we have not seen a single specimen since." 



In Manitoba, it occurs occasionally during migrations, but irregu- 

 larly and not in large numbers. One observer (Hunter) says: "I 

 have never seen the Knot along the Red River, but have seen large 

 flocks west of* Brandon." 



In the North- West, Prof. Macoun says that it is frequently found 

 along the borders of salt marshes. 



In Alaska, Mr. Nelson secured a single specimen, which was the 

 only one seen during his residence there. 



Along the shores of New England, during spring and fall, it is 

 still abundant, though the numbers have during past years been 

 greatly reduced in comparison with what they once were. 



It is observed, occasionally, along the coasts of Scotland, and in 

 England it is sometimes seen in very large flocks, all of which are 

 migrants. 



On the west coast of the Pacific, it migrates as far south as 

 Australia and New Zealand to spend the winter, and at that season 

 has been found in Damara Land, Africa, and also in Brazil. 



In the Auk for January, 1893, page 25, Mr. Geo. H. Mackay gives 

 a most interesting and exhaustive history of the haunts and habits of 

 this species, from which I should like to quote at length, did my 

 limits permit. Mr. Mackay says: "This bird, which formerly so- 

 journed on these shores in great abundance, and occurs now to a 

 limited extent during its migrations, has been the subject of consider- 

 able inquiry as to the cause of its appearing .now in such reduced 

 numbers. As each contribution to the subject may add something in 

 assisting to correct conclusions, I have to present the following restime, 

 especially of the habits and movements of this bird during its short 

 stay in Massachusetts, while on migration." Mr. Mackay then speaks 

 of the clouds of these birds which visited the coast of New England 

 thirty or forty years ago, and how they were slaughtered wholesale 

 by a most barbarous practice called "firelighting." He continues : 



