338 



LONG-WINGED SWIMMKRS — LONGIPENNES. 



1^ 

 ii 



] 



Mr. Bannister montions this spcpics as being quite connnon at St. Michael's, 

 though less abundant, and, according to his observations, more shy, than S. lomji- 

 caudus. Specimens were also obtained at Kadiak by Mr. liischoff. Mr. Dall speaks 

 of it as being common on the Yukon, as high up as Nulato, and also as abundant at 

 the mouth of that river. The Indians and the Russians call it razboinik, or "tlic 

 robber," and have many absurd notions in regard to it. Mr. Dall has never known 

 it to alight except on the water or on a smooth beach. It is said to nest on tlic 

 beach in the manner of the Gulls ; but he was unable to obtain its eggs. The long 

 feathers of the tail diiTer greatly even in the same individual. It is wonderfully swiit 

 on the wing. 



Mr. MacFarlane found it breeding on the Barren Grounds, at some distance from 

 the Arctic Sea. One nest was on the ground, found June 27. Both parents were 

 near, and when closely pursued would fly a short distance and alight on the ground ; 

 and this they continued to do for some time. The nest contained two eggs, in one of 

 which the embryo was much larger than it was in the other. Another nest, found 

 July 8, was about a hundred yards from the sea-beach, and was a mere depression in 

 the ground, lined with a few withered leaves. It contained one egg and one young 

 bird in the down. The eggs so much resemble the surrounding soil in color that 

 they are difficult to find. The nests were all mere depressions in the ground, lined 

 scantily either with a few dried grasses or leaves, or with both. Specimens wcic 

 taken by other Arctic explorers at Fort Resolution, Fort Simpson, Fort Rae, Fui t 

 Anderson, etc. 



In Shetland these birds seem to breed in society, from fifty to sixty being met 

 with at the same place. In Norway, however — as ^Ir. Hewitson states — they 

 breed most commonly apart from each other, each pair taking possession of its sepa- 

 rate island, upon the highest point of which they are almost constantly seen perchin;,' 

 and upon which they place their nests. The eggs are usually two in number, and urn 

 olive-brown in color, spotted with darker brown, 2.33 inches in length, and l.GC) in 

 breadth. At the time Mr. Drosier visited Shetland the young were already hatched. 

 and were discovered hiding in the long grass. They were covered only with down, 

 their blue legs and black toes being already very distinct. The more advanced were 

 of a beautiful light brownish color, distinctly barred and spotted with black ; but as 

 they grew older the brown color gradually disappeared. This species is occasional 

 on the shores of Belgium and Holland. Mr. H. W. Elliott found it an infrequent 

 visitor at the Prybilof Islands, where it was not known to breed, and where but four 

 or five of these birds in all were seen. These would occasionally alight on the grassy 

 uplands, and stand dozing for hours in an indolent attitude. 



The numerous eggs of this species collected from the Arctic coast and the Ander- 

 son River Region ranged in their length from 2.U0 to 2.40 inches, and from 1.5U to 

 1.70 in breadth. The ground-color is an olive-drab, 1 it varies greatly, in some tend- 

 ing more to a green, in others to a gray, or even t a brown. The markings are 

 equally various in their shades, and differ also in shape, size, and number. Tliey 

 exhibit a combination of sepia-brown, dark chocolate, and bistre, with obscure mark- 

 ings of stone-gray. In some the markings are all small, and are distributed with 

 great uniformity over the whole egg. 



