186 ALASKA. 



flig'lit b\^ tbe 1st or otb of September, and disappear until tbe 

 opening of tbe new season. 



^'It is a most devoted and fearless parent, and will flatter in 

 feigned distress around by tbe bour, uttering a low piping- note 

 sbould one approacb its nest. It also makes a sound exactly like 

 our tree-frogs, and until I bad traced tbe matter to tbis source, 

 I searcbed several weeks unavailingl}- for tlie presence of tbese 

 reptiles, misled by tbe call of tbis bird." 



A set of four eggs of tbis species, tbe full complement, taken 

 by Mr. Elliott,* June 19, 1873, on Saint George's, are perbaps 

 tbe first specimens wbicb bave reacbed naturalists ; certainly 

 tbe first we bave bad in tbis country. Tbey appear to bave 

 been nearly or quite fresb at tbe date mentioned. Tbe egg is 

 ratber a peculiar one ; of all tbe sandpiper's eggs before us, it 

 most resembles tbat of Tringa mariiima. Tbe sbape is regu- 

 larly pyriform, as usual in tbis family. Measurements of tbe 

 four examples are: 1.55 x I.O85 1.52 x 1.05; 1.50 x 1.08; 1.48 x 

 1.05. Tbe ground is nearly clay-color, but witb an appreciable 

 olivaceous sbade; tbe markings are large, bold, and numerous, 

 of ricb, burnt-umber brown, of varying depth, according to tbe 

 quantity of tbe pigment. Tbese surfiice-markings occur all 

 over tbe sbell, except tbe extreme point, and are solidly massed 

 by confluence on tbe larger balf of tbe egg] all tbe markiugs are 

 strong, as if laid on freely witb a beavily-cbarged brusb. Witb 

 tbese surface-spots occur numerous sbellmarkings of tbe same 

 character, but, of course, obscure, presenting a stone-gray or 

 purplish gray sbade ; some of them look as if tbe color of the 

 surface-spots bad " run "and soaked into tbe olivaceous drab of 

 the general surface. 



* Tbe eggs were first discovered by Mr. George li. Adams, agent of the Alaska 

 Commercial Company, Saint George's Island. He, in order that they should 

 be identified, notified Mr. Elliott of their position, who imnit^diately shot the 

 parent and secured the eggs. Mr. Elliott has had frequent occasion to ac- 

 knowledge the courtesy and facilities for natural-history work furnished by 

 the agents of the Alaska Commercial Company on both islands, Dr. H. H. 

 Mclntyre and Mr. Adams, above mentioned. To tlie last-named gentleman 

 he is especially indebted for many desiderata. Mr. Samuel Falconer, assist- 

 ant agent, and Drs. Otto Cramer and Meany, physicians on the two islands, 

 are also among the few to whom Mr. Elliott's grateful obligations are due. 

 From Dr. Cramer we h.ave reason to anticipate a very valuable and interest- 

 ing paper upon the stomach and intestinal parasites of the fur-seal, which he 

 was engaged upon when Ma Elliott took his departure from the islands, 

 August 10, 1873. 



