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SCOLOPACID.E — THR SXIPK FAMILY — ArTODROMAS. 



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Afi'(inliii),' to tilt' ohst'i'vations of Mr. Aloorc, lliis sitccics is seen in Floridii 

 tliioiighoiit tlio year, always in its winter livery, witli no indications that it ever breeds 

 iheie. It is found in eonipiiiiy witli tiie /:'rriiiii'fi;i piixl/Ziis. 



I'rofessor Newton met witli it in St. Croix in the iintmiin, where it was observed 

 t(i fre([uent the pastures as well as tlu' sea-shore ; but rarely were more than two 

 seen to^t'ther. Mr. K. Newton notes its first apiiearance, Au.ifust l!>. Acciordin^ to 

 (lusse, it does not l)ecome numeions in .lamaiea before the end of the year, and is 

 ihi'ii found in the morasses in flocks of about a do/en, runninj,' swiftly over tht^ wet 

 soil like other Sandjjipers. In the stomachs of these birds were found fra>,'ments of 

 shells and comminuted animal matter. Mr. .Marsh, however, claims that this bird 

 is resident in -lamaiea throuj^diout the year, and that it brueils on the Salinas and on 

 the sandy beaidies. This, however, is (piestioned by Mr. Salvin, and we think on 

 ;,'(iod (,'rounds. The e^'t,'s described i)y Mr. Marsh do not re.senjblo those of this 

 species, either in ^ground-color or maikinj;s ; and tin; eliaraeter of the nestiuf^, a,s 

 indicated by him, is not that of this Sandpiper. 



Mr. Salvia, as (pioted by ^Ir. Dresser, states that he possesses a specimen of this 

 bird from Costa, liica. and that an example was found near Tanama by MacLeannan. 

 .Ml. \V. S. Woitd a.scertained it to be very common at Cartaj^'ena in Nuvendjer, l.S,"»7, 

 and Dr. Ilalicl procured two specinuMis (m one of the (iahqia^'os Island.s. Mr. Wal- 

 lace met with this bird at the month of the .\mazon, and Natterer secured two si)eei- 

 nicus in Iha/il, one in .Viu-il at Cuyalia. and the other at Matto (Jrosso in Se|)tend)er. 

 in the dei»artuu'nt oi Vera Cruz it has been taken in the interior, near Orizaba, and 

 also near the (!ity of Mexico. In Guatemala, besides meetin;,' Avith it on the Pacific 

 coast, Mr. Salvin found it to be a rej,'ular winter visitant, arriving,' in autumn and 

 dcjiartinj,' in sj)rinj^. In the winter it is found only on the sliore. and its visits to 

 iulaud lakes appear to be limited to its passaj,'es. In \ovendier, ISOI, Mv. Salvin 

 found it in the gras.sy swamps whiidi surround the small Lake of Duenas, in the 

 lii,^hlauds of (Juatemala, nearly ilve thousand feet above the sea. 



It is mentioned by ficotand as occurring in Trinidad in the months of August, 

 September, and Uetober, at times in Hocks by themselves, but more fre([uently 

 mingled with flocks of the /'Jiriinetes punU/its. In the French West India Islands it 

 is known as the I'i'fit Mnltir. 



Mr. J)resser found this species nmking its appearance at Matamoras as early as 

 the latter part of July, — this affin'ding remarkable evidence of the rapidity of its 

 flight, and confirniing the hyiiothesis that smdi visitants nuist be birds that have not 

 raised a brood that seastni. Jn the early spring Rlr. Dresser met with it near Sau 

 Antonio. 



Dr. Walker nu't with this species on the coast of Greenland ; and in the first part 

 <jf June following he found it breeding in the marshy valleys near Bellot's Strait. 



Mr. Audubon, whilst in Labrador, found this species plentiful, breeding on the 

 moss-dad rocks within a short distancie of the sea. When startled from its nest, it 

 wdidd rise cm the wing and move off low over the ground with incurved wings and 

 with a slow whirring motion ; or, if on the ground, it moves off slowly and limping 

 as if crippleil. On the 20th of July, after some search, he found the nest and eggs of 

 this species. The bird flew from the nest more in the manner of the Partridge than 

 of the Tr'ingu: The nest had been formed apjjarently by the patting of the bird's 

 feet on the crisp moss; and in the slight hollow thus produced were laid a few blades 

 of slender dry grass, bent in a circular manner, the internal diameter being 2.50 

 inches and depth 1.25. The eggs, he states, measured .9,3 by .75 of an inch. 

 Their groui, olor was a rich cream-yellow, blotched with very dark umber, the 



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