5 2 4 THE WILLET. 



Altho the Solitary Sandpiper is known principally as a migrant in May 

 and late July or August, it is believed that a few remain in the northern part 

 to breed. Its nesting was for a long time unknown, and it was hazarded that 

 it might be found breeding in holes in trees or in deserted nests, after the 

 fashion of the Green Sandpiper (Helodromus ochropus) of Europe. But 

 all such conjecture was discounted by the discovery of a single egg in a 

 ground nest in May, 1878; and finally discredited by the taking of a complete 

 set of five eggs by C. K. Clarke, M. D., on Simcoe Island, Lake Ontario, 

 June 10, 1898. Dr. Clarke says of his find, 1 "The eggs when collected had 

 the peculiar dark reddish ground color so frequently noticed in fresh speci- 

 mens of the Bartramian Sandpiper, but like them soon lost this characteristic 

 tint. Faint purple shell markings gave pleasing contrast, but the grotesque 

 brown figurings, somewhat similar in shape to those found on the eggs of the 

 Purple Crackle, remain as the striking feature. These grotesque markings 

 exist on three of the specimens." In comparison with eggs of the Spotted 

 Sandpiper they were seen to differ in shape, size, ground color, and markings. 



No. 244. 



WILLET. 



A. O. U. Xo. 258. Symphemia semipalmata (Gmel.). 



Synonym. SEMIPALMATED TATTLER. 



Description. Adult in summer: Above brownish gray, the head and neck 

 streaked with dusky, the feathers of back, etc., with irregular bars, or central 

 patches, of dusky, and further varied with some obscure buff; primaries and sec- 

 ondaries white, the former broadly tipped and the latter slightly tinged with dusky ; 

 upper tail-coverts white, or with a few dusky bars ; central tail-feathers ashy gray, 

 indistinctly barred with blackish ; the remaining feathers white mottled with ashy ; 

 lower parts white, tinged with grayish on fore-neck, and with buffy on sides ; the 

 fore-neck heavily streaked, the breast and sides heavily barred with brownish 

 dusky; belly sometimes faintly barred; axillars and lining of wing dusky; bill 

 dusky ; feet and legs dark bluish. Winter plumage : Above ashy gray, lighter on 

 neck ; below white unmarked, the fore-neck gray-tinged. Immature : Like adult 

 in winter, but feathers of back edged with pale ochraceous ; below tinged or faintly 

 mottled with brownish gray on neck, chest, and sides; otherwise unmarked. 

 Length about 15.00 (381.) ; wing 7.36 (186.9) ; tail 2.91 (73.9) ; bill 2.19 (55.6) ; 

 tarsus 2.29 (58.2) (Ridgw.). 



Recognition Marks. Curlew size; extensive white on wing with large size 

 distinctive ; semipalmate feet. 



1 The Auk, Vol. XV. p. 329. 



