^°im"'] PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 505 



is over and the laying season commenced. The egg of this species is 

 actually larger than that of a prairie chicken, although the quaily 

 weighs but 4 ounces, and the chicken nearly ten times as much. 



During the summer no bird is more familiar on tbe Manitoban prairies than the 

 Upland Plover or Bartram's Sandpiper {Bartramia longicauda), commonly there 

 known as the 'Quaily," from its note. Surely no bird ever differed more completely 

 from the generality of its relatives than this ! It is a Sandpiper which does not ap- 

 pear to frequent marshes, which breeds habitually on the dry open prairies, and which 

 is frequently to be seen perched among the brauches of trees. Its tameuess is ex- 

 cessive. Often when driving over the prairie I have seen it remain within 3 yards 

 of the passing vehicle without the slightest concern. When on the wing, it offers a 

 shot so temptingly easy that few can resist. Its note is a highly remarkable one, 

 not easily forgotten when once heard. Dr. Coues well describes it as a " loug-drawn, 

 soft, mellow whistle, of a peculiarly clear, resonant quality." It breeds abundantly 

 on the open prairie, and I have several times caught the young in down. The ma- 

 jority left Manitoba towards the latter end of August, but I was several times sur- 

 prised at hearing or seeing a belated pair until quite late in September. (Christy.) 



This species is an abundant summer resident on all the dry prairies near Portage la 

 Prairie, arriving early in May; at this time they are very tame, and may frequently 

 be seen perching on the fences, and I once saw one make a ludicrous attempt to settle 

 himself on the glass insulator on top of a telegraph pole. About the 1st of August 

 they desert this prairie and betake themselves to the broken land iu small flocks. 

 They are then very wild. By the 10th of the month they have all left ; though ou 

 August 29, 1884, I saw a single bird flying over. Not observed iu the vicinity of 

 Winnipeg (Nash in MSS.). 



87. Tryngites subruficollis. Buff-breasted Sandpiper. 



Winnipeg : Transient visitor ; rare ; in migration along Red Eiver 

 (Hine). 



88. Actitis macularia. Spotted Sandpiper. 



Common summer resident along streams; throughout the region 

 from Pembina to Rockies along the boundary (Coues). Winnipeg: 

 Summer resident; abundant; breeding (Hine). Norway House (Bell, 

 1880). Shoal Lake, May 15, 1887 (Christy). Oak Point: 1884, arrived 

 April 22 (Small). Portage la Prairie : Abundant summer resident, ar- 

 riving soon after May 1; departs at the end of September; the last 

 seen by me was ou the 24th of that month (Nash). Common ; breeding 

 along the route of 1880 and 1881 ; always seen in couples (Macoun). 

 Portage la Prairie: July 22, 1884, saw young Peetweets running with 

 the old ones along the banks of Owl Creek (Thompson). 



89. Numenius longirostris. Long-billed Curlew. 



Summer resident of the wet prairies ; breeds in moderate numbers 

 about Pembina (Coues). Winnipeg: Rare; transient; visitor (Hine). 

 Rare spring and autumn visitor; saw five on Rat Creek, in the West- 

 bourne marsh, October 8, 1884 (Nash). Frequent on tbe Souris plain, 

 May, 1882, frequenting the wet prairie (Thompson). 



