168 NEW YORK ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



8. American Oyster-Catcher (Hamatopus palliatus, Temm.). 

 Two pairs of these handsome birds were on the island during our 

 stay. We. were told that both pairs had bred on the beach in 

 April, but we saw no signs of young birds. The long legs and 

 straight coral-red beak serves to distinguish this species at a con- 

 siderable distance. This forlorn hope of Oyster-Catchers arrives 

 about the first of April and leaves for the South in September. 

 With suitable protection these interesting birds should breed 

 abundantly here, even though oysters are much less numerous 

 than formerly. Their eggs are hatched and the young birds 

 fledged before the gulls and terns begin to breed. 



The mandibles of the Oyster-Catcher are thin, knife-like blades, 

 and show very distinctly the rough usage to which they are sub- 

 jected in opening the shells of mollusks. One side is invariably 

 worn down, and sometimes the bill is permanently bent from the 

 constant prying strain. I noticed these birds feeding on small 

 sand-fleas. 



9. Wilson's Plover (Ochthodromus wilsonius, Ord.). We 

 found six of these dainty birds. These also were reported to 

 have bred in April, but no young birds were on Cobb Island 

 while we remained there. Their time of arriving and leaving is 

 about the same as the oyster catcher, and like those birds they 

 seem only waiting the chance to cover the sands with flocks of 

 their black-banded scurrying little forms. Their food consists 

 of small crustaceans and insects. 



10. Long-Billed Curlew (Numenius longirostris, Wils.). A 

 few individuals of this rather rare species flew past the island 

 during our stay. 



11. Hudsonian Curlew or "Jack" Curlew (Numenius hud- 

 sonicus, Lath.). These long-legged birds nest in Alaska and 

 other parts of the far north, and the several small flocks which we 

 saw on Cobb Island were the first of the great host of migrants 

 which wing their way each year from their breeding-grounds to 

 the marshes of South America. 



12. Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularia, Linn.). Five or 

 six Spotted Sandpipers teetered along the mud-flats near our land- 

 ing, busily seeking out the worms and snails left exposed by the 

 tide. They doubtless breed on the adjacent mainland. 



13. Willet (Symphemia semipalmata, Gmel.). At least two 

 pairs of Willets were breeding on the island. They were greatly 

 concerned when we approached close to where their eggs, or prob- 

 ably young, were concealed. They uttered their plaintive "willy- 

 willy" and fluttered over our heads with dangling legs, or 



