Vol. xix.] 36 



published details of the nesting-habits of the Solitary Sand- 

 piper, first discovered breeding by Mr. Evan Thompson in 

 Northern Alberta, N.W. Canada, in June 1903. I do not 

 propose to do more than refer to those details which were 

 originally published by Mr. W. Eaine in the ^Ottawa 

 Naturalist' of Oct. 20th, 1904.; but both the eggs and the 

 nests in which they were found, which I exhibit to-night, 

 were all taken by Mr. Evan Thompson, and are the first that 

 have been brought to Europe. 



" These eggs comprise three sets : — 



'' 1. A set of five eggs taken by Mr. Evan Thompson from 

 an old nest of the American ' Robin ' [Turdus migratorius) 

 on the 15th June, 1906. The eggs appear to have been all 

 laid by the same bird. This set, which is supposed to be 

 the finest that has as yet been taken, is in the collection of 

 Mr. J. M. Goodall, who has kindly lent it to me for exhibition 

 this evening. 



"2. An incomplete set of two eggs, taken by Mr. Evan 

 Thompson on the 18th June, 1906, from a nest of Brewer's 

 ' Blackbird ' [Scolecophagus cyanocephalus) placed in a 

 tamarac-tree, about 5 feet from the ground. This nest con- 

 tained several feathers of the Solitary Sandpiper and one 

 large banded feather. The set was taken before completion, 

 as the ' Blackbirds ' were still in the neighbourhood of the 

 nest. I have notes from Mr. Thompson to the effect that 

 the Solitary Sandpiper sometimes selects a newly-made nest 

 of some bird, and that when the owner returns it throws 

 out the eggs of the Sandpiper. In one instance, when he 

 found an incomplete set, he returned two days later and 

 found that the eggs had been turned out and lay broken on 

 the ground at the foot of the tree. 



" 3. A set of three eggs (originally four) from a nest of 

 the American ' Robin' placed in a tamarac-tree, 15 feet from 

 the ground. The Solitary Sandpiper was flushed from the 

 nest, w hich it had lined with lichen. This was the fourth nest 

 found, and it was taken by Mr. Thompson on 6th June, 1905. 



" 1 gather from Mr. Raine that up to the present time 

 nine sets of these rare eggs have been found. 



