n 



SCOLOPACID.K - THK SNIPE KAN[ILY — TOTANUS. 



27r3 



is ([iiite cninmon, in its inigvations, hoyond tiic Ixocky MountaiiiH. How cominon it 

 iiiav lit' ill Ciiliroruia ut any tiiiu' icniaiiis to !»<' ascfi'tainctl. It in found during the 

 winter in suitable localities tlironj,'l'oMt Mexieo. ('entral and South America, ami the 

 West Indies. Dr. liurmeister mentions tindinj,' this s[ieeies lioth at Mendoza and at 

 i'liraua, on tht! banks ol' rivers and the slunvs of lakes, Salvin speaks of meeting 

 with a small Hock near Duenas. in (Juateniahi, during the early part of the month of 

 April, in company with Aitnth uinis ninrii/iifii. It is included by (iundlach among 

 tlie birds of Cuba, and by Marsh among those of .lamaica. In the latter island (io.sse 

 siicak.s of tiuding it always solitary, and wading in shallow water. The stonniclis of 

 specimens he procured contained a mass oi pulverulent nuxtter which, on l)eing sepa- 

 rated in water, was found to contain fragments of in.sects. According to Professor 

 Newton, this bird occurs, but not plcntifidly. in St. Croix in the sjiriug and autumn ; 

 bat it probably does not remain in the island through the winter. lie obtained a 

 single specimen, .Inly !.'(>. IS"»7; and Mr. Kdward Newton first met with it Aug, 3, 

 ]M.'i.S. It is a regular visitant of the Island of Trini(hul, coming each year in the 

 month of August, and withdrawing in October. Always in flocks, sometimes of great 

 size, it keeps about the borders of the sea. only leaving them for moist meadows or 

 newly |)lougl'.ed fields. It re([uires a soft soil, into which its beak can easily pene- 

 trate in quest of worms. In its movements it is said to resemble the Solitary Tattler. 

 After the general departure of this species, a few renuiin along the edges of pools in 

 swampy tracts. It is much sought after by sportsnu'u. but its Hesh is not of good 

 (piality. It feeds largely upon ants and the hirva' of (li])terous insects. 



It occurs as far, at least, to the south as I'atagonia, where Mr. H. Durnford ('' Ibis," 

 1^77) mentions timling it common along the banks of the rivers and in the adjacent 

 swamps and jiools in the ('hupat N'alley. He does not indicate it as breeding there ; 

 and as his visit only continued from the 1st to the Ui)th of >«ovember, it is probable 

 tliat it does not do so. 



It visits the liahamas in its migrations ; and i)rol)al)Iy passes through nearly the 

 whole of the interior regions of both North and South America. Captain Bendire 

 notes its abundaiu'e in Oregon during its migrations: and Air. Nelson found it quite 

 luuiierous in Northeastern Illinois, arriving late in April and returning in September. 

 He has no doubt that a few breed, as he obtained the young, barely able to fly, on the 

 l.st of July, 1874, ne.ar (Jhicago; and since then he has noticed several i)airs, during 

 the breeding-season, al)out the CaUunet marshes. 



In the summer this species extends its migrations to the extreme Arctic regions, 

 Reinhardt includes it among the birds of (Jreenland, a single .specimen having been 

 received from that region by I'astor Jliischler in 1854. Captain Ulakiston met with 

 it on the Sa,skatchewan, obtaining a single si)ecimen near Fort Carlton, ilr. Murray 

 records it as from Hudson's IJay, and Mr. Koss found it abundant on the Mackenzie. 

 Iiichardsou speaks of it as very common in the Fur Countries, where it is seen, either 

 solitary or in pairs, on the banks of every river, lake, or marsh, up to the most north- 

 ern extremities of tht> continent. While breeding, it is very impatient of any intru- 

 sions, betrays the approach of the sportsman to less vigilant birds by flying round 

 his head, its legs hanging down and wings drooping, uttering its incessant and jilaiu- 

 tive cries. Trevious to its departure south it collects in small flocks, and stops for 

 a time on the shores of Hiulson's luay. In this locality it was observed by Hearne 

 in 1772, and its habits noted. He speaks of it as the " Spotted Godwait," ami states 

 that it visits the Hudson's l^ay in considerable numbers, and is even more abundant 

 in the interior, usually frequenting the flat, muddy banks of rivers. In the summer 

 it was generally very poor, but in the autumn it became one mass of fat. Hearne 



