SCOLOPACin.K — THE HXrPK l'AMII,V - HKTRItoSCKLUS. 



291 



(if the coast, riitlnr ili;iii lliosc tliat arc Iciw, luarsliv. nr samlv. Dr. ('(poiht writes in 



rct'crtMiPt' to this l)ir(l, that it mcoiuh to (litter iiiiieli in ImititH tiom tl tin r inemhers 



(il tills rainily, in Miat it prefers tiie roekv siicires (if tlie oeeim. ami in pnilialilN never 

 rn'i|uentiiiK niarslies or inland Idealities. He has fimnd il only siiarin};ly almif,' tlic 

 wlmle sontherii enast of Calildrnia. but not im the islaiids, though the speeies is so 

 widely (listrilmted throuj,'hi)iit the I'aeitie aicliipelaj,'oes. lie olitained a single spec)- 

 men at Santa Itarliara as late as .\pril L'", and .saw another pair — apparently of this 

 species — at San I'edro on the 2.'!d of .May; so that proiiahly a few lireed aloii^,' the 

 cnast. He also met with it in .Monterey in SejitemlMM-. This naturalist adds that he 

 lias always fdiiml it feedin,!.,' on surf-lieaten nicks, aindii,!L; the seaweed, and ^'cnerally 

 nut shy, lint when fri,i,dit('iic(i tlyinj,' off a slidrt distance, with a harsh rattling' cry, 

 like the alarm iidte df the Tui'iistdues. It has also a prdjiensity to hide itself anioiif^ 

 llic rocks, instead of Hying, lieing often ditticiilt to find, even when ehise at hand. 

 Ill an account snlise(piently written, Di'. ('(io|ier mentions, in descriliing a visit to 

 Mdiiterey, Scjit. It>, iHiVJ (•• Anu-rican Naturalist," IV. T.'iiS), having oh.served a i'ow 

 (if the Wandering Tattler, and that they were, as usual, among the rocks along the 

 sliiire in that neighliorhood. 



This species is included liy .Mr. 1{. Browne among the liirds oliserved by him on 

 \aiicdiiver Island. Mr. Dall states that he procured three specimens of it at Niihito, 

 anil .Mr. lii.scholf two at .Sitka; but it is said to be rare on the ^'ukon Kiver, where, 

 however, one was fcmnd by Mr. McDougal. Three were obtained by J)r. Cooper in 

 Shoal Water IJay, W. T., and two by .Mr. Klliott on the I'rybilof Islands, where it is 

 said by him to be of regular migratory ajipearance, but not to breed. He adds that 

 it comes regularly every year early in June, and siibserpn'ntly re-ai)]iears toward the 

 end of .Fuly. when it may be obtained on the rocky beaches, never visiting the up- 

 laiiils. and being a very shy and ([iiiet bird. A single specimen was ;ilso taken at 

 ridvcr r>ay. in Kastcrn Siberia, Septendier, l.sr>7. I)y Mr. ISischoff. 



Mr. II. W. ilenshaw thinks that this bird is well niinied the " Wimdering T.ittler,'' 

 and states that it has a very wide range, being found on the i.slands of the I'aeifin 

 generally, and from Alaska to Australia. .Santa Cruz Island is the oidy place where 

 he has enjoyed an oiiiiortunity of meeting with it. though, as he is informed, it 

 (iiiurs on other islands also. (Japtain Forney, of the Coast Surv(\v, secured (piite 

 a number on the Island of San Miguel, where this bird occurs in considerable mini- 

 hcrs. It is not .it all a bird of the siuidy shores, but resorts exclusively to rocks 

 covered with seaweed, following the tide as it ebbs and flows, running back and 

 I'dith, iiicking up the worms .and marine anini.als, which are found in such localities in 

 almndanee. In its motions it is said to simulate exactly the little Spotted Sand- 

 piper, and to have the .s.aine curious '"tijMii)" motion of its body in moments of 

 rest from feeding. It tlies with a similar deliber.ate wing-beat, with jiinions slightly 

 (lc( urved, the tips being ])ointed downward. The voices of the two birds are said to 

 be very different ; the notes of this s| iccies being very loud and harsh as comp,ared 

 with the smooth whistle of T. mficuhd'ius. Mr. Henshaw found them usually soli- 

 tary, quite watchful, and full of distrust, though occasionally he found himself within 

 a few feet of one of them, and was able to watch its motions. This was in June ; 

 and though the birds were unquestionably paired and breeding, he was not able to 

 obtain even a hint as to their method of niditicatiou. 



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