CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. ISI 
247. Western Semipalmated Sandpip=r. 
Ereunetes occidentalis LAWR. 1864. 
A male taken at Ducks, near Kamloops, B.C., August 22nd, 1889. 
(Streator.) An abundant resident; it is found throughout the year 
at Victoria, Vancouver island. (Fannin.) Abundant in the fall 
at Sumas lake, in the lower Fraser valley. (Brooks.) A small 
sandpiper supposed to be this species was seen on a beach in Cum- 
shewa inlet, Queen Charlotte islands. Mr. Keen reports its occur- 
rence at Massett. (Osgood.) As soon as the snow disappears on 
the low ground about Norton sound, Alaska, these little’ birds 
arrive on the shore of Bering sea, in the vicinity of St. Michael and 
the Yukon mouth. It frequents the Arctic coasts of Alaska in addi- 
tion to being found throughout the interior along streams where 
suitable flats occur. (Nelson.) Abundant on all the Aleutian islands, 
and at St. Michael outnumbers all other waders. (Turner.) This 
was the common shore bird seen at Homer, Alaska. (fF iggins.) 
BREEDING NoTEs.—This species arrives at St. Michael by the 
middle of May. About the first of June it begins to build its nest 
among the dry mosses found on the low grounds. The nest is only 
a slight depression in the moss, containing a few feathers. Four or 
five eggs are laid. The male assists in incubating, as the first speci- 
men which I obtained fluttered from the nest as if it were wounded. 
His fluttering wings, low piping note, and limping gait caused me to 
detect the nest almost at my feet. (Turner.) By the rst of June, 
and earlier in some seasons, they have eggs, and in one instance 
young were found as early as June 7th. Their nests are usually on 
the drier part of the tundra, generally on a mossy hummock or slight 
swell. A sheltering bunch of dwarf willow or a few grass stems, in a 
tuft, form a favourite cover. The eggs are sometimes placed on a 
thin layer of dead grass-stems, or willow leaves, loosely arranged, but 
very commonly the mat of dry grass or willow leaves afforded by the 
spot chosen serves as the nest without special arrangement. (Nelson.) 
CHI. CALIDRIS Cuvier. 1799-1800. 
248. Sanderling. 
Calidris arenarta (LINN.) LEACH. I816. 
Scarce, and said not to breed further south in Greenland than 
lat. 68°, but the young have been obtained at Godthaab; breeds 
