ANNOTATED LIST OF THE BIRDS 145 



one spring record. It is thus in the same class as the Orange- 

 crowned Warbler and the Philadelphia Vireo. It was known 

 to Giraud as a rare bird in 1844. Fortunately it is not 

 particularly difficult to distinguish this species from a North- 

 ern Phalarope. It lacks the conspicuous white stripe in the 

 wing of that species, and is almost uniform fuscous-brown 

 above, while the Northern Phalarope is distinctly variegated 

 or streaked with blackish and whitish. Wilson's is also 

 slightly larger. 



Long Island. Very rare and irregular fall transient, 9 records, 

 August 15 to October 15; casual in spring, June 1, 1887. 



MASTIC. Twice, September 21, 1918 and August 23, 1920, 

 single birds flocking with Lesser Yellowlegs. 



A very tame bird seen by Newbold T. Lawrence swimming 

 in the East River at the foot of Pine Street October 15, 1879. 



AVOCET (Recurvirostra americana) 



A century ago this striking Shore-bird bred on the coast 

 of New Jersey and was an occasional visitor to the shores of 

 Long Island according to Giraud. Two specimens are in 

 existence, the last taken in 1847. Dr. Stone records a few 

 specimens in New Jersey up to 1908, but Eaton very properly 

 regarded the Avocet as extinct in New York State. It is 

 therefore with great pleasure that I can record a specimen 

 which Mr. Roy Latham discovered August 15, 1908 at 

 Orient, and which remained for a week. 



WOODCOCK (Philohela minor) 



The Woodcock is still a fairly common summer resident in 

 the unsettled portions of the region, but is steadily decreasing. 

 As a migrant it still occurs in places where it has ceased to 

 breed. Flights still occur in the fall, but the great numbers of 

 former days are a thing of the past. It should be looked for in 

 low wooded areas, where soft mud affords it a good feeding 

 ground, and where countless borings are an evidence of its 

 presence. Sharp-eyed indeed is he who sees a Woodcock on 



