64 MousLEY, Birds of Hatley, Que. [j^^ 



10. Gallinago delicata (Ord). Wilson's Snipe. — Faii-ly common 

 transient; (Aug. 30, Sept. 14, 20); Oct. 2 to Nov. 9. The usual date of the 

 fall arrival here seems to be about the first, or beginning of the second week 

 in October, only a single bird in each case having been observed on the dates 

 in August and September. During the fall of 1914 I counted thirty-nine 

 between the above dates in October and Novemlaer, as against only about a 

 sixth of this number for the corresponding period of the previous year; 

 fourteen being the greatest number seen in a single day. This year 15 

 examples have been noted. I am unable to give a spring date not having 

 3'et observed the l^ird at that season. 



11. Pisobia maculata (Vieillot). Pectoral Sandpiper. — Fairly 

 common transient; July 22 to Oct. 21. I have only seen thirty-five ex- 

 amples of the Pectoral Sandpiper so far, two in July, five in August (one of 

 which was in the company of two Lesser Yellow-legs), fourteen in Sep- 

 tember, and fourteen in October, most of which latter were feeding with 

 Wilson's snipe. At times they are not at all shy, and I have watched them 

 feeding on several occasions within quite a short distance. In this species 

 the males, contrary to the general rule amongst the Sandpipers, are the 

 larger, one I shot weighing five ounces and taking just two females to 

 balance the other side of the scales. They make excellent eating when 

 properly cooked like snipe. I am unable to give a spring date, not having 

 yet observed the bird at that season. 



12. Pisobia minutilla (Vieillot). Least Sandpiper. — Common 

 transient; May 23 to June 2; July 10 to Sept. 4. Of all the Sandpipers 

 enumerated this is the most abundant, as I find from my notes that during 

 the past and present year (1915), 114 examples have been seen, and with 

 four exceptions (three of which numbered between twelve and eighteen 

 and the other twenty-five) they did not exceed six in a flock, and on many 

 occasions singles only were observed. In the case of this species as well as 

 in that of all the other shore birds observed here, the autumn migration 

 produces by far the greatest number of birds. 



13. Ereunetes pusillus (Linnaeus). Semipalmated Sandpiper. — 

 Fairly common tran.sient; May 23 to 29; July 22 to Sept. 4. This elegant 

 little Sandpiper is not nearly so plentiful as the Least, in fact I have never 

 seen a flock composed entirely of them, they were always in the company 

 of the latter. By carefully examining these mixed flocks and taking the 

 same dates as mentioned in the account of the Least Sandpiper, I find only 

 thirty-five were observed as against the 114 of the latter, thus giving a 

 proportion of about three to one. 



14. Tetanus melanoleucus (Gmelin). Greater Yellows-legs. — 

 Rare transient; May 11 to 12; Aug. 3 to Oct. 24. Judging from the few 

 examples seen of this bird, one in the spring and eight in the fall, it is not 

 unreasonable to suppose that they are merely stragglers, and that Hatley 

 lies outside the usual hne of migration. When disturbed I noticed these 

 birds had a habit of alighting on dead tree stumps (of which there are many 

 in the marsh) where they would remain for long periods at a time, and from 



