60 



ANSWER. 

 SPOONBILLS. 



(Reprinted from " The Field" Newspaper, June 6th, 1863. 



In reply to C. M. A., there were only the two Spoonbills I 

 shot, and on dissection eggs were found slightly developed in one 

 and more fully in the other, although we thought from the length 

 of the crest of one that it was a male bird. The birds had been 

 nearly four-and-twenty hours where I shot them, and, though I 

 saw them apparently feeding, no food of any description was 

 found in their stomachs. I have no doubt they were about to 

 cross the water to Holland, their usual breeding place I suppose. 

 J. M. 



THE COMMON SANDPIPER. 



(Reprinted from " The Field" Newspaper, February 28th, 1863.) 



A. Y. Z. says he has shot three this month with deformed legs. 

 He is probably mistaken in the species. This bird seems to be 

 unable to bear cold ; it arrives here about the middle of April, 

 coming at once to its breeding grounds. Most of them depart in 

 July ; before leaving the country remaining for a short time on 

 the coast. Some birds of the year may be found at particular 

 places as late as the end of September, or even into October. It 

 is not very uncommon to meet with birds, especially those which 

 fly in flocks in the manner described by him. The malformation 

 is frequently attributable to shot. "Wigeon, Knots, Dunlins, etc., 

 etc., are sometimes found with one leg only, the stump of the 

 .other only remaining, and the wound healed over. Where is the 

 Common Sandpiper met with during the winter months ? How 

 interesting it would be could we trace a migratory bird for 

 twelve months, and find out the distance it had flown. I once 

 shot a Richardson's Arctic Gull with only one leg, and the bird 

 was quit fat, the injury not having been recent. It was ap- 

 parently migrating along the coast with others of its species. 

 C. M. A. 



