1920 ] Nichols, Limicoline Voices. bZb 



Stilt Sandpiper, Lesser Yellow-legs) are sufficiently different for 

 identification and perhaps the very lack of close relationship in 

 the birds has facilitated convergence cf their calls. 



The findings of W. E. D. Scott relative to acquisition by imita- 

 tion versus inheritance of passerine bird notes has no real bearing 

 on the subject matter of the present paper save possibly at this 

 point. They make it not unreasonable to suppose an influence 

 of the calls of customarily associated species upon one another. 



Knot or Robin Snipe (Tringa canutus). The flight-note of the 

 Robin Snipe is a low-pitched whistle, frequently in two parts, 

 with a peculiar lisp or buzz in it: "tlu tlu. " 



Krieker or Pectoral Sandpiper (Pisobia metadata). The habits 

 of the Krieker are, in a sense, intermediate between those of the 

 Wilson's Snipe and of other species to which it is more closely 

 allied and resembles more nearly in habits. On the wing, it assoc- 

 iates in flocks which migrate by day, often mixed with other 

 species. On the ground it frequently scatters singly among the 

 grass, and, trusting to concealment, does not take wing till ap- 

 proached very closely. Its notes are neither as hoarse and heron- 

 like as the Snipe nor as clear and ringing as those of most other 

 species, having a reedy character. 



The flight or identification note analogous with the three ringing 

 "whew"s of the Big Yellow-legs analogous and probably also 

 homologous with the "cherk" of the Semipalmated Sandpiper, is 

 a loud reedy "kerr," resembling the latter more than any other 

 Shore Bird call. 



In being flushed, the Krieker often has hoarse hurried cheeping 

 notes, analogous with similar harsher notes of the Snipe. 



Rarely in flight the "kerr" is varied into or replaced by a diag- 

 nostic near-whistled "krru." 



A chorus of short snappy "tchep"s or "chip"s has been heard 

 from a flock of birds, alert and on the move. This call is probably 

 analogous with the short flocking notes of the Lesser Yellow-legs. 

 To my ear the Krieker's flushing note is more or less a combination 

 of its flight-note and flocking note, and it is likely a combined 

 expression of the mental states most commonly associated with 

 these two. The flocking note communicates alertness to near-by 



