196 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 
Murdoch found it common at Point Barrow, while Nelson saw 
only a few specimens at the Yukon mouth. On the other hand, 
Mr. Fannin reports it as tolerably common throughout British 
Columbia and also a resident. Mr. Brooks says it is a rare migrant 
in the lower Fraser valley in the autumn. 
BREEDING Notes.—This species is common on the Arctic coast 
and on the Barren Grounds east of Horton river. Between 
the 26th June and the oth July, upwards of twenty sets of 
eggs were secured, and there were four in every nest, which was 
a mere depression in the soil, scantily lined with a few withered 
leaves and dried grasses. When the nest was approached, the 
female usually made a low flight to a short distance. (Macjarlane.) 
This is an abundant summer resident at Point Barrow, and was 
more plentiful in the season of 1883 than it was the year before. 
They arrived in both seasons ina body about the same time (June 
6th to 8th), and were first seen on the dry banks below the village 
feeding greedily on the flies and beetles, which were out sunning 
themselves. By the middle of June they had spread pretty well 
over the dryer parts of the tundra, but always confined themselves 
to high and dry banks, or what we called the black tundra. 
The eggs, as might be inferred from their colours, are laid in 
the latter locality, as a rule, where they harmonize very well with 
the black and white ground and moss. Like the rest of the 
waders, this bird builds no nest, but deposits the four eggs, 
small end down, in a shallow depression in the ground lined with 
moss. Four is the usual number of eggs in a complete set, though 
we collected one set with five. (Murdoch.) I have a set of four 
eggs taken on Herschell island, June 18th, 1902, by Rev. C. E. Whit- 
taker. The nest was simply a hollow in the moss. The bird was 
secured to prove identity. (Razne.) 
CX. “ACTETRIS Iriicer 7-1 Sag, 
263. Spotted Sandpiper. 
Actitis macularia (LINN.) NAUMANN. 1836. 
This is a common species in Labrador, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, 
Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Quebec and Ontario. In 
all these provinces it breeds, either by the sea, shores of lakes or 
banks of rivers, but never in colonies. Seldom more than one pair 
