196 V. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETEST 217 



subsequently provide nesting places for a great many solitary sand- 

 pipers. 



No eggs were found, but the female specimens taken on May 18 

 and 23 were evidently near to laying, for tliey had eggs measuring 

 6 and 12 mm. A male on June 1 was remarked with a brood patch and 

 a female on June 8 contained four ruptured ovarian follicles. It ap- 

 pears that eggs were first laid about May 25. 



The females taken on May 23 and June 8 were much heavier than 

 the female taken on May 18. Such variation is not seen among adult 

 birds except in the transient condition of females being overweight 

 while ovulating. 



Male specimens taken between May 16 and 20 were fat or very fat, 

 but those taken subsequently were medium and little fat. 



Solitary sandpipers appeared the most common species of the family 

 to settle around Old Crow, and it is estimated that the migrating 

 numbers could provide for their extension over much of Porcupine 

 Valley. 



All were distinguishable from T. s. solitaria in length of wing and 

 in the heavier marking of the throat and breast. Of 12 Old Crow 

 specimens, 11 had clear marbled patterns on the inner side of the first 

 primary. The examples are typical of the western race, and in most 

 the back pattern contained more buff and was rather more brownish 

 than in solitaria. 



The western race nests in arctic Mackenzie, Yukon, and Alaska, 

 perhaps confined to the forested areas. In spring they migrate from 

 Ecuador (and southward) principally through the intermountain 

 region, reaching Atlin, B. C, on May 2, 1931, May 12, 1933, and May 

 10, 1934 (Swarth, 1936) . It is possible that their arrival at Old Crow 

 is either from the west or from the southeast. 



Totanus flavipes (Gmelin) 



1 male 



Jmiell 



weight 66.5 g. 





testes 3x5, 2x4 mm. 



1 female 



May 31 



weight 100.0 g. 



medium fat 



4 ruptured follicles, 1 

 formed egg, brood 

 patch 



The first report of a lesser yellowlegs on May 7 seems early in view 

 of the weather and the condition of the snow and ice two weeks before 

 breakup (Williamson found them present at Fort Yukon when he ar- 

 rived there on May 10, and they have not been reported at Anaktuvuk 

 before May 16) . Additional yellowlegs were not recorded mitil May 

 23, but on May 31 the condition of a female specimen showed that it 

 had begun to lay on May 28. This bird weighed 100 grams or about 25 

 percent more than the average of six females in spring at Anaktuvuk. 

 This is another example of the transient overweight of laying females. 



