







i 



234 



PR^COCIAL ORALLATORES — LIMICOL.'K. 



and lialtits they closely reseinhk'd the European Dunlin, Hying in a body, suddenly 

 wheeling round, disiilayinj.'- alti'rnati'ly their lij,'lit undt'r-i)arts and dark backs, and 

 usually raisint,' their wings over their l)acks before alighting, whicli they all do at tiie 

 same moment. 



Mr. lioardman informs me that this speeics i.-. ,uito common, both in the .spring and 

 in the tall, near Calais, where it is seen in eomi)any with the Common Snii)e, and where 

 it feeds exclusively on the fre.sh-water nuirshes and in the uplands. It is distin- 

 gui.shed from the Common Snipe by the name of the Jack Snipe. In Massachusetts 

 this is one of the earliest of the migratory Waders, ai>j)earing about the middle ol 

 July. It is also one of the last to leave, as its migrations continue longer than those 

 of any other bird, or unt'l the middle or the end of October. If it appears at all in 

 its s])ring migrations, it passes north rapidly, or goes through in the night, and its 

 passage has not been noted. Major Wedderburn speaks of it as nujre numerous 

 in Hermuda than Ilonaparte's Sandj)i|)er. U was not noticed prior to Sept. L'O, 1.SI7, 

 on which day two of them were taken. Alter this the birds becanu' common in nil 

 the swampy ponds and bays. On tin- 'Jth of October, 1841), they a])peared all at once 

 in thousands, particularly at St. tleorge, after a heavy gale of wind. The parade- 

 ground at that place was swarming with them, and one of the otlicers killed between 

 four and five hundred before breakfast. With the exception of a few stragglers, all 

 were gone by the following day. 



According to Mr. Moore, this bird occurs in Florida, but only in the early winter. 



Mr. Dresser noted the aj)pearance of the Pectoral Sandi)iper near Matamoras in 

 July, I8(t;5. It was not frequi-nting the salt-water lagoons, but was oftener found on 

 the banks of the liio (Jrande, or near small pools after a rain. In April, l.S(J4, lie 

 observed several snuUl flocks of four or five about the water-holes near San Antonio, 

 and in May he shot three at Howard's Kanch on the Medina River, 



In sonu' sea.sons, according to (iiraud, this sjjecies is (juite plentiful on the shores 

 of Long Island. It appears generally to have been overlooked by the hunters. In 

 the sju'ing it is not seen there in large miml)er.s, but it apparently hastens on to its 

 breeding-places with but little pause. Returning to Long Island in August, it aj)- 

 pears in increased nundiers on the necks of land in the immediate vicinity of tide- 

 water, and is also found among the islands in the bay. Although large niuubers are 

 sometimes seen occupying the same feeding-grounds, it does not seem to be a social 

 bird, but each one appears to be intent only on pntviding for its own comfort, and to 

 be tntirely regardless of its companions. In feeding, the Hock scatters over the bine 

 places which occur on the moist ground frequented by them, and when thus employeil. 

 they renuiin silent. They are by no means wary, and regard the ai»proach of the 

 hunter with indifl'erence. On oiu' occasion, when Mr. (iiraud fell in with a large 

 flock, he walked up to within a close shooting distance of the nearest one, appearing 

 to be entirely unnoticed. Although there were upward of fifty in view, yet they 

 were so widely di.stributi (I tliat it was impossible to get two of them in range ; nor 

 eould he effect this during a hunt, in the course of which he obtained twenty-one 

 birds at as many different shots. At the report of the gun the survivors flew on ;i 

 short distance, and resunu'd their previous occupation. During this repeated iirim; 

 lie did not observe a single individual |)ass beyond the limits of the nuiadow, whicli 

 was oidy a few acres in extent. As this bird flies up when suri)rised, it presents 

 a fair mark, and if allowed to proceed, flies steadily at a short distance above 

 the grouiul. It feeds on various kinds of minute insects, and also on the smidl 

 she^. 'sh which lie near the surface, but at times may be seen boring with its bill u< 

 a greater depth. On dissection, particles of plants have been found iu its stomach. 



