spotted Sandpiper Colonies 



283 



nest of any observed, probably because of the abundant nesting material near 

 at hand. All nests appeared to be composed of material, scraped together, 

 lying in the immediate vicinity of the nest. If in the weeds, the nest was built 

 of old weed-stalks; if in the grass, dried grass became the nesting material. 

 After the young left a nest, the first rain completely obHterated all signs of it, 

 and the site could only be located by the mark which had been placed by it. 

 The first young were seen out of the nest the second week in June, and I con- 

 tinued to see young birds in various stages of growth until July 15, at which 



NEST OF SPOTTED SANDPIPER WITH ADDLED EGG AND TWO YOUNG 



"The egg led to the discovery of the young which were not seen until I bent 



over to examine the egg" 



time I saw the last young bird, which was unable to fly, running about on the 

 mud flat, the favorite feeding -ground for all the birds. The Sandpipers con- 

 tinued to occupy the marsh until the middle of August, when they all sud- 

 denly deserted it. 



It is interesting to note that, with one exception, every clutch of eggs 

 hatched. This set of eggs was apparently deserted because of the dampness of 

 the site chosen. This, I think, is a very good percentage for the vicinity of 

 a city, where nest tragedies are the rule. Of course, I am unable to tell just 

 how many young were destroyed after they left the nest, but I observed quite 

 a number of young birds after they were able to fly. 



