146 





SOME FACTS ABOUT THE WESTERN WILLET. 



(Symphemia semipalmata inornata.) 



The Western Willet is one of the them. I have never seen a bird which at 



largest of the Limicolae or Shore Birds, times could be so wary and hard to ap- 



The body is about the size of a common proach, and again, if a number are shot 



pigeon, the long neck, legs and extent from a flock, the remaining birds will 



of wings making it appear much larger, seem to lose their senses, and I have fre- 



The feet are only about one-half webbed quently walked within a few feet of the 



and only when great danger makes it survivors before they would take flight, 



necessary will it go into the water be- This trait is noticeable among a large 



yond its depth. The bill is straight and number of shore birds and the terns, but 



in summer the color of the bird is gray more especially so with the Willet. 



above, with many small but rather dis- On the plains bordering the Brazos 



tinct black marks. On the sides and river, near the Gulf coast of Texas, dur- 



breast these marks are arrow-shaped, ing the months of April and May, I have 



In the plumage of winter and of the found the Willet proper (Symphemia 



young these markings are absent. semipalmata), a smaller and darker form, 



I am inclined to believe that this spe- breeding in abundance. The Willets us- 

 cies has a more extended range than any ually select for a nesting site a thick tus- 

 other of the order. It has become quite sock of salt marsh grass on the borders 

 abundant of late years in the Calumet Re- of a small pond, where they can com- 

 gion in Northern Indiana, near Chicago, mand a good view of the vicinity. In the 

 Mr. E. W. Nelson, in the Natural His- center of this they hollow out a space of 

 tory Survey of Illinois, says, that in the about six or eight inches in diameter, and 

 .seventies this species was ajrare summer simply line it with the grass they have 

 resident on the wet prairies of North- matted down. In this nest are laid four 

 western Illinois, although I can find no pyriform eggs of a greenish white, or a 

 .authentic record of the taking of the nest light olive brown ground color, marked 

 .and eggs. Captain Charles Bendire found with large, irregular blotches or brown- 

 it abundant and resident in Southeastern ish black and faint purple ; the eggs are 

 Oregon when he procured several sets of immense for the size of the bird, being 

 its eggs. It is said to breed from the about two inches in length by one and 

 .coast of Texas to Manitoba. Straggling one-half in width. 



flocks of from five to fifty may be found The illustration faithfully portrays 



along the shores of our larger fresh water three birds taken at Miller's, Indiana, on 



lakes, particularly Lake Michigan, dur- the beach of Lake Michigan. The color 



ing the fall migration, which takes place of the legs, which are obscured by the 



from about the fifteenth of August to the shadow of the body, is a pale, slaty blue, 



last of September. Though the Willets are restless and 



This bird might well be called the noisy birds, they are much less so, and, 



clown of the Limicolae. I have often indeed, quite unconscious of their sur- 



been amused by the antics of a flock of roundings when nesting. Regarding 



Willets on the shore of Lake Michigan, their habits at this time, Dr. Coues has 



They would droop their necks and wings told us that if they "become thoroughly 



in an absurd fashion, taking short runs alarmed by too open approach, particu- 



and jumps as the waves rolled in upon larly if the setting bird be driven from 



