the oologist 



65 



mer years abundant on the Cape dur- 

 ing migrations," implying a scarcity 

 at that time. Of its habits he says: 

 "It is rarely if ever seen on the 

 beaches or flats, but occasionally 

 goes on to the dry salt marshes to 

 feed on the crickets and grasshoppers 

 that are very numerous there in sum- 

 mer and autumn." Knight in Birds 

 of Maine, 1908, says of the Bartramian 

 Sandpiper: "This species formerly 

 occurred commonly during migrations 

 and was not rare as a summer resi- 

 dent of various portions of the state, 

 it is now decidedly less common and 

 the number of breeding birds which 

 occur in the state are very few." Sev- 

 eral years ago there appeared a news- 

 paper writeup in a Bangor daily of 

 the finding of the nest and eggs by a 

 Bangor taxidermist, Cyrus S. Winch 

 and in which John L. Childs of New 

 York figured. This is the last notice 

 of the breeding of the Bartramian 

 Sandpiper in the state that has come 

 to my knowledge. There is no doubt 

 of the economic value of the"Plover" 

 as the food consists almost entirely 

 of grasshoppers and crickets in the 

 season. N. S. Goss in History of the 

 Birds of Kansas, 1891, says of the 

 Bartramian Sandpiper: "These birds 

 should be strictly protected, for they 

 are beneficial and in no way harmful." 

 The eggs measure 1.70 x 1.28, are 

 commonly four in number rarely five. 

 W. B. Crispin reported finding a set 

 of five, (see Oologist Sept. 1912. The 

 eggs, the general shape which is that 

 of the Spotted Sandpiper, are pale 

 buff, a shade richer in color than the 

 Spotted Sandpiper, spotted thinly on 

 smaller end, spots increasing in dens- 

 ity and size toward the larger end, 

 with umber brown, with an under spot 

 ting of a purplish gray ; differing from 

 the Spotted Sandpiper, the spots which 

 are much darker and lack the rich 

 shade of the Bartramian Sandpiper. 



The nests are hard to find, the birds 

 being close sitters. The birds grow fat 

 in the fall, the flesh is tender and well 

 flavored. When much hunted they 

 are wild, rise at some distance, fly 

 high and far. One learns to love their 

 sprightly ways and soft mellow whistle 

 and it would be a great pleasure could 

 we have them with us as of yore. 



Western New York Nesting Dates 

 By N. B. Wheeler 



A list of birds observed nesting in 

 Western New York in 1912. Although 

 the list is limited to a single season, 

 I hope it may be of some interest to 

 students in this section of New York. 

 When I first came here, Green Herons 

 and Black Crane Night Herons nested 

 near here by the hundreds. Now 

 there are only a few pairs left. We 

 have good laws to protect them but 

 they are not enforced. So of what 

 use are they. 



Nesting dates for Western New 

 York. Season of 1912. 



Pied Bill Grebe May 30 



Am. Eared Grebe May 30 



Mallard Duck April 22 



Hering Gull May 5 



American Bittern May 30 



Least Bittern June 7 



Green Heron May 23 



Black Crown Night Heron.... May 17 



Little Blue Heron May 10 



Great Blue Heron April 25 



King Rail June 4 



Virginia Rail May 10 



Sora Rail June 7 



Florida Gallinule May 23 



American Coot May 21 



Spotted Sandpiper May 30 



Killdeer May 30 



Ruffed Grouse May 8 



Mourning Dove May 8 



Marsh Hawk May 15 



Cooper's Hawk May 21 



Red Tail Hawk April 4 



Sparrow Hawk May 12 



