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SCOLOPACID.-E ~ THE SNIPE FAiflLY — ACTODIIOMAS. 



229 



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ill Florida, on the 2(1 of December, lie has always foiiiul this species less shy than 

 iinv other of the same genus; in this respect his observations not according with 

 tliose of Giraud. 



Tiie author of the " Key to Nortli Auu-rican Itirds " met with birds of this species 

 in Labrador, for tlie first tiuu", .hily .'}(). On the 1st of September, when lie left that 

 rcijion, it was his belief that they wen- still as numerous as ever. They were found 

 in i,'n'at abundanc^e on the rocky shores t)f that region, where covered with seaweeds 

 and interspersed with muddy Hats and shallow pools, in which these l)irds wade cpiite 

 up to cheir breasts, and also in situations where he never found any other kind of 

 Sam'piper — on large masses of rock slofjing down abruptly to the water, green and 

 slippery from the continued dashing of the spray. The bird seemed to be very fond 

 of these localities. 



Of all the Sandpipers, this is spoken of as the most gentle and unsuspecting, and 

 as being utterly regardless of the near iii»proach of man, not even intermitting its 

 ui'cupation of scare) '.ng for food, though the observer may be standing within a few 

 tci't of it. When startled, it Hies oft' in a very compact flock, uttering a low, soft 

 turef, very different from that of any other Sandi>iper. If a part of a flock be killed, 

 the hunter may make ecpr.il hiivijc with his second barrel, as, after a few cirdings, 

 those left fly past or aliglit again on the same spot. This bird flies rapidly, in a rather 

 unsteady manner, alternately showing the under and the upper i)arts, and may 

 always be recognized, when on the wing, by the eonsjticuously white ujjper tail- 

 coverts. It was found associating with the Semiitalnuited Sandpipers and the King 

 1 'lovers. Those procured were not cons])icuously fat. 



Mr. N. ]{. Moore informs us that he met with this s])ecies in Fhn-ida during the 

 winter months, but that the greater j)ortion seemed to move farther south. The 

 same ge: tleman in IiSTO again observed this si)ecies on Fortune Island, one of the 

 liahamas, where he ])rocured an examine as early as the oth of Augvist. 



Mr. Xelson found this bird a r.ither common migrant on the shores of Lake 

 .Micliig.in, in Illinois. He met with it as late as tlh- Dth of .lune. Dr. Hoy writes 

 of it as a bird formerly abundant near Uacine during its migration.s, but as now (juite 

 rare; and Mr. R. V. (Jlarke is (piott.'d as having taken this species late in autumn 

 upon the lake shore near Chicago. Dr. James ('. Mt'rrill mentions it as common in 

 Southeastern Texas during the winter. 



Mr. L. Kumlien states that this species breeds in Kinguah and Kinguite fiords, 

 anil in other suitable localities on both shoriss of Cumberland Sound. Considerable 

 nund)ers 'vere observed along the beach near Xuboyant, on the west shore, in July, 

 wliere they were in all probability breeding. 



ilr. MacFarlane was so fortunate as to meet with several nests, with the eggs, of 

 tills species on m- near the Arctic coast. One of those, takej* .fuly 3 on the shore of 

 till' Ar(!tic Sea, contained four eggs with very large embr, os. Another, found on 

 till' following day, contained three eggs. A third, found June 2d on the IJarren 

 (Jround.^, was -.: mere dejjressiou in the ground, lined with a few decayed leaves, con- 

 taining four eggs with very large end)ryos. A fourth, obtained on the banks of a 

 small river, was comj)osed of a few decayed leaves, and held four eggs. 



Eggs of this species found on the Barren Grounds, near the Arctic coast, by Mr. 

 MacFarlane (S. I. Xo. 11329), are pyriform in shai)e, and have a ground-color of a 

 lufous drab mark(Hl with bold i)atches of dark sepia brown, intersjjei'sed with spots 

 in which this shade is deejiened almost into blackness, and which aie collected in 

 continent grouiiings aroiuid t\n'. larger end. These eggs measure 1.35 inches in length 

 by Ai') in breadth. 



