Zoological Explorations. 263 



with median longitudinal band of black. Below, chin brown- 

 ish white; breast ochraceous brown, lightening to white on 

 fore parts of bell}'; no black about the face or fore neck, nor 

 gray on the breast. The young bird in high plumage before 

 referred to had not achieved its wing and tail feathers. I 

 have never heard that rails shed all their quills at nearly the 

 same time, as do the ducks, and so am forced to regard this 

 specimen as one having attained an adult plumage before the 

 wings and tail are full}^ developed. The breast is gray with 

 some white blotches; face in front of eyes dusky black; throat 

 mottled with black and white; fore breast with a black patch. 

 Fifteen specimens secured: 5 (5, 7 ?? 3 (^ 



FuLicA AMERICANA Gmel. Amcvican Coot. Abundant in 

 sloughs around Chemawawin. Only one nearly mature speci- 

 men, the rest being evidently young birds with considerable 

 white about the face, front of neck and breast. "The migra- 

 tion of the coot is very singular. Late in the autumn I have 

 seen these birds in countless numbers in the marshes at the 

 south end of Lake Manitoba; for a fev/ days before their 

 going they keep up a constant chatter and row, apparently 

 discussing the propriety of leaving. On my going out some 

 morning after this has gone on, not a single solitary coot has 

 been seen, except perhaps a wounded one that cannot fly." 

 (Nash.) Thompson — Birds of Manitoba. 



Order LIMICOL^. Shore Birds. 



Family scolopacid^. Snipes, Sandpipers, etc. 



Gallinago delicata (Ord.). Wilson^ s Snife. Appa- 

 rently rare. One specimen secured near Grand Rapids. 

 Breeds within the Arctic Circle. (MacFarlane.) 



Tringa minutilla Vieill. Least Sandfifcr. Rare. One 

 specimen shot at Grand Rapids. Common during migra- 

 tions. (Thompson.) 



Breeding abundantly at Fort Anderson. (MacFarlane.) 



