FKIN(ilLMI>.K tin: KINCIIKS. 559 



The tlij,'lit ol" llii.H .sjH*ci»'H is qiiitr (litr»'H'iit Tnnii that of any (»thL'j hinl.jiml 

 hv it thi'V niav at micr !»«• n'co'M j/eil. In tivinL.' tln-y iil><'» <hop tlu'ir tails 

 vfiv htw. 



Mr. Au<hi])on states tliat <hiiin,Lr the winter tlie Sharp-taih'tl Fineh is 

 rurnisl'ed witli an extra quantity ot leathers on the rMnijJ, for whieli lie timls 

 it «lit!ieult to aeeount. 



These l»ir(ls jin; essentially niarilinie, are found only in the vicinity of the 

 se.i, an<l always keep immediately ahout tin? water, except when the inclem- 

 ency of the weather drives them to the hi^h gras , of the uplands for sheltei 

 They walk and run, or remain feedinj^ on the thtatin^ weeds and other suit- 

 stances raise<l by the tide, with all the eise a:id fearlessness with whicii they 

 move on the land. They are j^re^arious in the winter, and in the Southern 

 marshes are found feeding in companies I)uring the hreeding-.seastju they 

 keep mure in pairs, and are found more isolated. At this time they are also 

 shy, and dillicult to deteet. Their usual call-note is only a ^ ingle tnnt, and 

 ill the love-season their series of twitters Mr. Auduhon thinks hardlv wor- 

 thy to he called a song. They feed indi.scriminately on .seeds, insects, small 

 crustaceans, and various forms of refuse matter tloated or thrown up hy the 

 tides. 



On the coast of New Jersey, where these birds are found in the greate.st 

 abundance, they have at least two broods in a season. Their nest is on the 

 ground, in a small tussock of gra.ss or sedges, but little removed fifun th;- 

 reach of the tide, and is placed in a depression a[)})arently excavated for the 

 l)urpose. They are loosely made of soft and slender grasses, arranged in a 

 circular I'orm. The nest is large for the bird, spacious and deep, and is softly 

 lined with finer and similar materials. 



Their eggs, five or six in number, are of a somewhat rounded oval shape, 

 having an avemge breadth of .r)l.) of an inch, and vary in length from .7^ to 

 .70. Their ground-color is a light green, occasionally a dull white, with 

 hardly a perceptible tinge of greenish, thickly sprinkled e(pially over the en- 

 tire e.^^'^^, with Hue rusty-brown dots. These are of various sizes, but all tine. 

 In a few the larger dots are confluent in a ring around the larger end ; in 

 others, the finer dots are so small as to l)e only distinguishable under a gla.ss, 

 concealin«r the j^ronnd-color, and giving to the egg an almost uniform rusty 

 color. These eggs vary but little in sliape, and are nearly e(iually rounded 

 at either end, though never entirely so. 



