ee "THE WILLET. 
Altho the Solitary Sandpiper is known principally as a migrant in May 
and late July or August, it is believed that a few remain in the northern part 
to breed. Its nesting was for a long time unknown, and it was hazarded that 
it might be found breeding in holes in trees or in deserted nests, after the 
fashion of the Green Sandpiper (Helodromus ochropus) of Europe. But 
all such conjecture was discounted by the discovery of a single egg in a 
ground nest in May, 1878; and finally discredited by the taking of a complete 
set of five eggs by C. K. Clarke, M. D., on Simcoe Island, Lake Ontario, 
June to, 1898. Dr. Clarke says of his find,’ “The eggs when collected had 
the peculiar dark reddish ground color so frequently noticed in fresh speci- 
mens of the Bartramian Sandpiper, but like them soon lost this characteristic 
tint. Faint purple shell markings gave pleasing contrast, but the grotesque 
brown figurings, somewhat similar in shape to those found on the eggs of the 
Purple Grackle, remain as the striking feature. These grotesque markings 
exist on three of the specimens.” In comparison with eggs of the Spotted 
Sandpiper they were seen to differ in shape, size, ground color, and markings. 
No. 244. 
/ WILLET. 
A. O. U. No. 258. Symphemia semipalmata (Gmel.). 
Synonym.—SEMIPALMATED TATTLER. 
Description.—Adult in swmmer: Above brownish gray, the head and neck 
streaked with dusky, the feathers of back, etc., with irregular bars, or central 
patches, of dusky, and further varied with some obscure buff; primaries and sec- 
ondaries white, the former broadly tipped and the latter slightly tinged with dusky ; 
upper tail-coverts white, or with a few dusky bars; central tail-feathers ashy gray, 
indistinctly barred with blackish; the remaining feathers white mottled with ashy; 
lower parts white, tinged with grayish on fore-neck, and with buffy on sides; the 
fore-neck heavily streaked, the breast and sides heavily barred with brownish 
dusky ; belly sometimes faintly barred; axillars and lining of wing dusky; bill 
dusky ; feet and legs dark bluish. JVinter 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 15.00 (381.) ; wing 7.36 (186.9) ; tail 2.91 (73.9) ; bill 2.19 (55.6) ; 
tarsus 2.29 (58.2) (Ridgw.). 
Recognition Marks.—Curlew size; extensive white on wing with large size 
distinctive ; semipalmate feet. 
{ 
1 The Auk, Vol. XV. p. 3209. 
