70 U. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 217 



The earliest arriving pectoral sandpipers were recorded May 18, 

 1949, May 24, 1950, May 20, 1951, May 26, 1952, May 18, 1953, and 

 May 27, 1954. In the next week, considerable flights passed through, 

 obviously on the way northward. By early June, migrating flights 

 had ceased, but birds were frequently seen and occasionally heard in 

 the grassy marshes in which, however, like snipe, they lay rather close 

 and remained inconspicuous. 



The eggs in several females were measured in 1951, and their length 

 was found to be 1 mm. on May 24, 2 mm. on May 26, 4 mm. on May 

 27, 4 mm. on May 28, 4 mm. on May 29, and 4 mm. on June 1. From 

 these figures, I derive the belief that nesting occurred after June 1. 



No nests were found but the Nunamiut consider them to be nesting 

 birds in many grassy places, where the soft booming sound of the 

 males is often heard through June. The source of the sound is indi- 

 cated in the name Poviaktook^ which means "inflating the chest," and 

 nesting is considered to occur rather commonly, but not to be easily 

 discoverable. I am disappointed by the vagueness of my summer 

 information upon the pectoral sandpiper, the nesting of which is re- 

 ported upon so commonly in other arctic regions. 



A female taken July 29 was in fresh plumage, with adult character- 

 istics. It was one of a group of three found near the north end of 

 Margaktuk Lake and is considered to be a resident bird, for no flight 

 movements had yet been seen. In fact, southward flights have not 

 been reported, and as in most species, they apparently do not form into 

 flocks in the valleys. 



Erolia fuscicollis (Vieillot) 



1 male June 1, 1954 weight (2), 40.2, 



31.7 g. 



The first white-rumped sandpiper to be recorded was collected by 

 Simon Paneak and so named by him in the field from Peterson's 

 (1941) descriptions. On the same date he weighed another male, 

 found alone. Both birds were fat and the testes, which were 8 and 9 

 mm., respectively, were progressing toward breeding size. 



Bailey (1948) reported that 8 specimens and 2 sets of eggs had 

 been collected along the arctic coast between Wainwright and Demar- 

 cation Point. It is possible that the two specimens were migrating to 

 nest further north but the record of two males only warrants their 

 designation as visiting birds. 



Erolia bairdii (Coues) 



34 males Mayl5-July26 weight (28), 32-48, 



average 39 g. 



8 females Mayl6-July20 weight (12), 34-45, 



average 39 g. 

 1 young male July 26 weight 26.4 g. - — 



