I 



1 1 





240 



PR.fiCOCIAI, OKAM.ATOKKS— LIMICOLE. 



markiuh's larger mid mure imiiit*ruuH towurd tliu ubtuHueiid; tlicy were quite frfsli. 

 TIh' iM'st was iiudi'i' tilt' Iff oC ii small mik. fxiiosfd to alt tlif lu'at tin- sun can uffitrd 

 ill that lii^h latitude. This pair iiiust liavf lifcii latf in dc positing,' their f^^'s, as a 

 t'nrtni},'ht later AiidiilMHi's jiaity saw yminj; liirds aliimst as lai'Ke as their paifiits; 

 and soon af'tfr Ixith parents and joiiiij,' weri- preparing tor their departure south. 



This speeies, so very p;enerallv distrilmted. so eomiiioii everywhere — it heiii^ 

 iiardly less niinif rolls than the h'miiirtis /msi/liis — collects in the tall in ininieiise 

 ttoeks, and resorts to ttie j,'reat masses of driftiiiK sea-weed on our coasts, t'reipieiitiii;,' 

 also ttie shores and sed^'y l)orilers (d' salt ponds, ^deai.i >i minute sh(dltisli aint niariiii' 

 insects. Althoii^,di most alnindant on the borders of tiie sea, it is not entirely con- 

 lined to the shore, liiit is also found alon^ ttie margins of the interior lakes and rivers. 

 On tlie sliores of l.oiiK Island (iiraiid siieaks (d' it as very pleiitifnt, and as lieiiij,', 

 diiriiij,' the month of Septemlier. in excellent condition for the taltle. Hy some it is 

 considered far superior, liotli in flavor and in juiciness, to many of our lart,'cr shoic- 

 liirds. Its note is low and tispini;; hut when tilarnied, it moves otY in a confused ami 

 irregular manner, uttering,' a shrill twitter soumlint,' like the syltahles j)f<-j>-pcet. Dur- 

 ing,' Octoher it mif,'rates farther south, reappearing,' early in ttie spring on the stiores 

 of New .lerscy ami Long Island, where it is seen in numliers during each one of the 

 summer months, although it is not known to hreed within the limits id' the I'liitcil 

 States. 



Kichardson, who deserihed this hird under two speiiitie apindlations, speaks id 

 tinding it ahundant in tlie iiiitumn, feeding during the recesses of tlie tide on the ex- 

 tensive iiiud-tlats at the mouths of Nelson and Hayes rivers. He adds tliat it lirecds 

 within the Arctic Circle, arriving there as soon ;is the snow melts. As I'arly as the 

 iMst (d' .Mav it was observed on ttie swampy t)orders of small lakes in latitude (J(J'. 

 Its lu'op was tiUed witti a soft blackish earth uiid small white worms. 



This sjiecies was found breeding abundantly at iMirt Anderson, on tlit* l?arreii 

 (Jrounds, at Lake Kende/.vous, and near tlie .Arctic coast, l>y .Mr. MacFarlane. Of 

 the twenty iie.sts, the notes of which we have examined, all but six were taken 

 between the 1,'lst and .'{ttth id' .Iiine, none being recorded as later than the lid of fluty. 

 The number of eggs is generally given as four — in no instance more. Tlie nests 

 were always on the ground, and geiiorally a mere dejiression, with a lining of a few 

 dry leaves and grasses, and usually near small lakes. Ttie female, as she tlutteri'd 

 off her ne.st, (d'ten imitated the Hight of a wounded bird, and if hd't undisturbed, 

 almost immediately returned to her iie.st. If persistently interrupted, she kept aboiii 

 the nest, and endeavored tiy simulated lameness to draw off the intruders, soon 

 becoming (luite wary, if shot at. 



(Jne set of the eggs of this sjieeies, eollect(>d near the Arctic coast tiy Mr. MaeFar- 

 lane (S. L No. JWr"), measure 1.1') inches by .S"). Tlie ground is a light drab, thinly 

 marked with .sepia-brown spots, patches of which are suffused with the ground-color, 

 giving them an ashy effect. The markings are more mimerous, and of greater size 

 about the larger end. The eggs are decidedly ])yriform in sliape. Another set (S. 1. 

 No. 3324), collected on Sabk Island, Nova Scotia, by P. S. Dodd, have a light-drab 

 ground-color ; but this is aliuost entirely coueealeil by the numerous markings of dark 

 umber brown. 





