292 GAME BIRDS. WILD-FOWL AND SHORE BIRDS. 



August (De Kay, New York, 184 i). Abundant on sea-coast 

 spring and autumn (Turnbull, eastern Pennsylvania and New 

 Jersey, 1869). Abundant in migrations (Maynard, eastern 

 Massachusetts, 1870). Abundant on shores in autumn (Sam- 

 uels, New England, 1870). Stragglers sometimes seen in 

 summer (J. A. Allen, Massachusetts, 1879). Common migrant 

 (G. M. Allen, Massachusetts, 1909). Only four of my Mas- 

 sachusetts correspondents had seen an increase of the species 

 in their localities up to the year 1908, and fifty-five report a 

 decrease. Mr. Alfred E. Gould says that large numbers fre- 

 quented Nahant many years ago, but he saw one only in 1908. 

 Mr. William P. Wharton reports great numbers at Plum Island 

 in 1901, and "not seen in abundance since;" but he says that 

 large numbers were seen in Provincetown in 1908; and Mr. 

 Benjamin F. Curtis writes that Sanderlings were more nu- 

 merous that fall on Plymouth and Duxbury beaches than he 

 ever has seen them there in his long experience. Mr. Fred B. 

 Lund also states that they have been numerous at Duxbury 

 (1908) " for the past few years." Mr. Lewis W. Hill states that 

 they are numerous at Edgartown. Outside of Massachusetts 

 I get no reports of their abundance along the Atlantic coast 

 (except one from Florida) other than in places where they are 

 protected from gunning, on the beaches of public parks and 

 private preserves. 



The Sanderling breeds so far to the north that it has nothing 

 to fear from man in the breeding season. This is its best pro- 

 tection. Possibly no bird is a greater wanderer or is distributed 

 more widely over the surface of the globe. Its breeding grounds 

 surround the pole, and it is known to occur in the southern 

 portions of all the continents, except perhaps Australia, and 

 in many isolated islands in the Pacific. Many linger in the 

 south until late in spring. They have been taken in Chile in 

 May and in southern Florida on May 25, and they remain 

 commonly along the New England coast and on the Great 

 Lakes until about the first week in June. They breed in the 

 arctic lands in June and July. They leave their summer 

 homes in July and August, and travel by land and sea to their 

 winter quarters in South America. The Sanderling appears to 



