The Birds of El Paso County, Colorado 487 



the holes open. On January 15, 1908, with six inches of snow 

 on the ground and below zero weather Aiken visited a small 

 beaver pond on the Skinner ranch six miles south of Colorado 

 Springs. A bit of marsh above the pond and a short stretch 

 of ooze along the outlet below remained open, and in this 

 small area of one-fourth of an acre were 25 to 30 Snipe. 

 Some years ago a Snipe was found running upon the ice when 

 everything in the vicinity was frozen solid. A few Snipe 

 winter along banks of streams in the mountains. 



That Snipe know enough to protect themselves from 

 storms may be illustrated by narrating here one of Aiken's 

 experiences in Utah about 20 years ago. He was beating 

 a snipe marsh near one edge of which extended a narrow 

 arroyo or gully in which were some trees and bushes. The 

 weather had been fair until without warning a heavy snow 

 storm set in. At once Snipe began to rise wildly from differ- 

 ent parts of the marsh and one after another directed their 

 flight toward the same point in the arroyo and dove between 

 its banks. Upon investigation 8 or 10 Snipe were found 

 together in a little cave in the side of the arroyo that was 

 partly hidden by bushes so that they were well protected from 

 any storm. We conclude this was not the first time the Snipe 

 had resorted to this friendly shelter since they knew so well 

 where to go. 



Macrorhamphus griseus scolopaceus. Long-billed Dowitcher. 

 Migrant, not common. 



Micropalma himantopus. Stilt Sandpiper. 



The only record for the County is a female in the Aiken 

 Collection, taken near Colorado Springs, May 14, 1884. 



Pisobia fuscicollis. White-rumped Sandpiper. 



A single record for the County, one taken by Aiken at 

 Colorado Springs, and identified by Ridgway. 



Pisobia bairdi. Baird's Sandpiper. 



Common migrant. It makes its appearance in the autumn 



