THE WESTERN WILLET. 673 
or pale salmon on breast and sides, where irregularly barred with dusky; throat 
streaked with dusky; axillars and lining of wing dusky; bill dusky; feet and legs 
dark bluish. [WVinter plumage: Above ashy gray, lighter on neck; below white 
unmarked, the fore-neck gray-tinged. Jmmature: Like adult in winter, but 
feathers of back edged with pale ochraceous ; below tinged or faintly mottled with 
brownish gray on neck, chest, and sides; otherwise unmarked. Length about 
17.00 (431.8) ; wing 8.10 (205.7) ; tail 3.30 (83.8) ; bill 2.45 (62.2); tarsus 2.65 
(67.3). 
Recognition Marks.—Crow or Curlew size; extensive white on wing with 
large size distinctive; semipalmate feet. 
Nesting.—Not known to breed in Washington, but probably does so. Nest: 
on the ground or in grass tussock, of grass and weed-stalks. Eggs: 4, greenish 
white to dark olive, spotted boldly with various shades of umber-brown, and with 
obscure purplish shell markings. Av. size, 2.10 X 1.55 (53.3 X 30.4). 
General Range.—Western North America north to Latitude 56°, breeding 
from Manitoba and Alberta south to the Gulf coast of ‘Texas; south in winter to 
Mexico. Casual east of the Mississippi during migrations. 
Range in Washington.—Casual during migrations. Reported from coast 
line only. 
Authorities.—[C&S. 241. Not a valid Washington record.| — [“Willet,” 
Johnson, Rep. Gov. W. T. 1884 (1885), 23.] Hubbard, Zoe, III. July, 1892, p. 
143. Two specimens taken off Dungeness, Sept. 1905, by L. R. Reynolds. T. 
PROMINENT wherever found by reason of its restlessness and _noisi- 
ness, the Willet has drawn the fire of the country-side, until now it is quite 
unknown in sections where it was formerly abundant. It was never common 
in Washington, however, and our knowledge of its presence is confined to 
reports from gunners who have encountered it upon the beaches in the seasons 
of migration. Thus, Mr. L. R. Reynolds secured two specimens at Dungeness 
in September, 1905. The range of the species being rather southerly, those 
which occur here may be looked upon as stragglers and adventurers, rather 
than as regular migrants. 
The Willet is described as an exceedingly noisy bird, filling the air 
with its shrill cries of pill-zill-willit, will-willit, pill-will-qwillit, at all hours 
of the day and often at night. Except during the breeding season, it is 
quite wary, and difficult to approach even by stealth. While nesting, how- 
ever, it becomes silent and nearly impassive, except when its nest or young 
are immediately threatened, in which case it throws reserve to the wind 
and summons its neighbors, who join with it in the boldest denunciation of 
the intruder. 
