Shore-bird Shooting 353 



the United States in the western Mississippi Valley, occurring 

 regularly west to the coast of British Columbia, the interior of 

 California, and Lower California, and frequently reported east in 

 the fall along the entire Atlantic Coast. Probably many of these 

 Atlantic Coast records properly refer to large females of M. 

 griseus. 



The western representative of the red-breasted 

 snipe, this bird straggles to the Atlantic Coast, 

 and there are a number of instances of its oc- 

 currence on Cape Cod and Long Island. The 

 close resemblance to the eastern variety un- 

 doubtedly causes it often to pass unnoticed. The 

 western dowitcher is found abundantly in all the 

 prairie states and on the Pacific Coast south of 

 British Columbia. They are common on the 

 ponds and prairie sloughs of Dakota and Mon- 

 tana in May, occurring in flocks of eight or a 

 dozen, wading around in the shallow water to the 

 depth of their long legs, probing the bottom for 

 food. A short sojourn under these circumstances 

 enables them to rest and fatten. The journey 

 north is made in more of a hurry than the return 

 trip, and the birds reach the breeding-grounds 

 in poor condition. These are in Alaska on the 

 marshes about the Yukon and the shores and 

 islands to the north. At this time they are very 

 active in their courting, and the male noisy and 

 demonstrative, disputing the possession of the 

 female. When once their variances are settled, 

 each pair takes up the duties of nesting. This 



3\ 



