114 EXPEDITION TO POINT BA1UIOW, ALASKA. 



They were tlien quite abundant for two or three days about the village ponds aud iu tiio 

 village itself, and a few stragglers staid on until the middle of August. 



Though a great many of them were shot, no adults were found either season. 



544. LIMOSA LAPPONICA NOV-S3-ZEALANDLE Gray, 



PACIFIC GODWIT. 



This species, which is an abundant summer resident at the Yukon, mouth and Saint Michael's, 

 where it breeds, only occurs at Point Barrow as a straggler after the breeding season, appearing 

 in August with the flocks of young Macrorha-mplius, Pel-id na, &e. 



It is probably a quite regular though rare visitor, as we saw a few both in 1882 and 1 

 Nevertheless, the natives appeared not well acquainted with the bird. Some called it "Tur;V 

 tun'i ;; (Nnmcnias bcrcalis), while others thought it was "Sabrauua" (Lobipes Injpcrborcus}. 



The two that were obtained were both young of the year. 



This bird has not been previously recorded from the American coast north of Bering Strait. 



056. TRYNGITES RUFESCENS (Vieill.) Caban. 



BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER (Kudluayu), 



This is an abundant summer resident, and was more plenty in the season of 1883 thau it was 

 the year before. 



They arrived both seasons in a body at about the same datt (June C to 8), and were first seen 

 on the dry banks below the village feeding greedily on the flies and beetles which were out .sun- 

 ning themselves. 



By the middle of June they had spread pretty well over the dryer parts of the tundra, both 

 above and below the station. They were never seen on the lower marshy portions of the tundra, 

 but always confined themselves to the high and dry banks, or what we dalled the black tundra. 



The eggs, as might be inferred from their colors, are laid in the latter locality, as a rule, where 

 they harmonize very well with the black and white of the ground and moss. We were unable to 

 find the nest in 1SS2, but the next spring we collected the eggs iu considerable abundance. Like 

 the rest of the waders they build no nest, but deposit the four eggs, small end down, in a shallow 

 depression in the ground lined with a little moss. Four is the usual number of eggs in a complete 

 set, though we collected one set of five. 



During the greater part of the breeding season, that is, from the time they arrive till the end 

 of June, the males indulge in cm ions antics, which we had frequent opportunity of observing. 



A favorite trick is to walk along with one wing stretched to its fullest extent and held high in 

 the air. I have frequently seen solitary birds doing this apparently for their own amusement, when 

 they had no spectators of their own kind. Two will occasionally meet and "spar" like fighting 

 cocks for a few minutes and then rise together like "towering" birds, with legs hanging loose, for 

 about thirty feet, then drifting off to leeward. A single bird will sometimes stretch himself up to 

 his full height, spread his wings forward, and puff out his throat, making a sort of clucking noise, 

 while one or two others stand by aud apparently admire him. They are very silent, even during 

 the breeding season. When they first arrive they are to be found associating ^ith'Aetodromas 

 maculata for a few days. After the breeding season they disappear gradually, never gathering 

 into flocks, but quietly slipping away, aud none arc to be seen after the first week iu Augi: 



C60. NUMENIUS BOREALIS (Porst.) Lath 



ESKIMO CURLEW (Titni-limi). 



This is a rather irregular summer visitor and by no means common, although well known to 

 the natives. In the spring of 18S2 it was (lie first wader to arrive, but in 1SS3 we saw none at all. 



Two flocks of about twelve each arrived on .May 20. when there was still much snow on the 

 tundra and in the lagoons, moving up the beach towards the northeast. 



