IP 



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SCOLOPAriD.I-: — THK SNII'K FAMILY — ERRfNKTKS. 



200 



Ciiptiiin nciuliro mentiona this Hpccics as iibiiiidant, (hiriiij,' (lifir iiiiKiatioiiH, in 

 Soutiu'iisti'rn Ori'goii. A IVw liii^^crcd tiin)ii,i,'ii the iiioiitli of May, but did not 

 I'cinain to i rt'cd. Mr. ('. Hart MciTiaiii i'<%'ards this spcrics as an occasional sum- 

 mer ivsiiU'nl in Connecticut, and in one instance it has iiecn iinown to breed within 

 llie limits of that Statu. Its nest, with ej,'gs — one of which is in my cabinet — was 

 found .Fuly L'O, 1H77, at Uradfoid, ity .Mr. Walter U. Nichols. The bird was not 

 taken, but the ej,'^,' is not distinguishaiile from other eggs ^A' this species. 



The Western form, occurring on the I'acilie coast, docs not essentially vary, 

 in hal)its and peculiarities of nesting, from the other. Dr. Cooper states that it is 

 i|iiite common along the entire Tacitic coast, scarcely leaving thnt region, even in 

 midsummer, l)Ut fre(pienting the shores of muddy bays in large Hocks, fet'ding on tho 

 worms, Crustacea, and insects left along the edge of the water anil on the flats at low 

 tide. Dr. Cooper has obtained it in May and in August as far south as San I'edro, 

 so that possiiily it may breed witldn the State of (-'alifornia. It is biunil also toward 

 the north in duly, visiting the iidand fresh-water marshes near the Kocky Mountains. 

 Tins species associates with otiier small Sandpipers, and has hai)its, notes, ai I 

 llight similar to tho.se of the Kastcrn bird, from which it cannot be distinguished. 

 'I'his is said to l)e a rather noisy liird, uttering, when startled, a widstling cry that 

 sniuids like to-irhrrt. It is much hunted for the San l"'ranci.S(ro market. This was 

 jpcrhaps the species which Mr. Salvin found .so common on thcs racitio coa.st of 

 (iuatemala. 



Tills bird is mentioned by .Mr. Dall as being very common at Sitka and Kadiak, 

 where I>ischoff obtained many specimens. It is also abundant at N'ulato, and along 

 the sea-shore, an<l on the Yukon River. Mr. liannister also mentions it as iieing 

 very common throughout the spring and summer, and as nesting all over the Island 

 of St. Michael's. All the nests he observed were mere hollows in the ground, with 

 nothing more than a few blades of grass for lining, aiul wore generally placed in 

 sonu' dry tuft of grass, at some distance from the water. Tlu; bird, when startled 

 from the nest, would generally Hy a little distance and then alight, showing but 

 slight timidity. In the month of May, when in pursuit of Ducks and (Jeesc near St. 

 Michael's, Mr. Bannister saw these little birds all around him, within a distance of a 

 few feet, apparently unmindful of his presence, even when he was shooting at Ducks 

 and (Jeese as tlmy flew overhead. 



Kii^hardson refers to a nuinuscri[)t left by Hutehins, written about 1770, in which 

 he gives an accurate descrii)tion of this species, stating also that it arrives on Severn 

 River alunit the miihlle of May in large Hocks, building early in June a nest of with- 

 ered grass, and laying four or ttve black-and-white spotted eggs. Toward autumn 

 it has a chirruping note; in September it retires soiith. 



Mr. MacFarlane found this species breeding very abundantly on the Arctic coast 

 and on the islands in the bays and along the shores of the Arctic Sea. Some were 

 also foinul nesting in tlie Harren (.J rounds west of Franklin l>ay. The nests were in 

 most instances nu're dejn'cssions in the ground, lined with a few grasses and leaves, 

 dry and partially decayed, and w^'re almost always near small j)ools of salt or brack- 

 ish water, or inland, near the edge of small jwnds. Sometimes the female would 

 glide from her nest, and, i)retending to be disabled, would seek to entice away the 

 intruder. If suddenly startled, she woidd f'recpunitly utter disturbed cries. The 

 eggs were usually four in number, and were found from the ^20th of Jun(( to the 

 loth of July. At times the nests were hiddtni in tufts of grass, but not always. 

 When driven from her nest, the female, if unmolested, would almost imnu'diately 

 return. In reference to one nest, procured June 30 on the coast of Franklin Bay, 

 VOL. I. — 27 



