CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. l6o 



Hamilton, Ont., by Mr.McIlwraith. Fleming says that thougli rather 

 common in the spring he has seen no adult birds in the autumn- 

 Dr. Coues records taking a few specimens in immature plumage at 

 Henley harbour, Labrador, in i860. A tolerably common migrant 

 in Manitoba but rare farther west. It is common in summer along 

 the shores of the Arctic sea and on the islands to the north. In 

 Alaska it is common in some localities and rare in others. Accord- 

 ing to Fannin it is abundant along the coast of British Columbia 

 during migration. 



Breeding Notes. — Thek not breeds on Melville peninsula and 

 in other parts of Arctic America, and also on Hudson bay, down to 

 lat. 58° It lays four eggs in a withered tuft of grass. (Richard- 

 son.) The knot bred, among other places, at the head of Gaasef jord, 

 EUsemere island, where its young were found. (E. Bay.) 



Major Henry W. Feilden, naturalist to the Nares Arctic Expe- 

 dition, says he was not so fortunate as to obtain the eggs of the 

 knot during his stay in the Polar regions, though it breeds in some 

 numbers along the shores of Smith sound and the north coast of 

 Grinnell land. On July 30th, 1876, however, three seamen walking 

 by the border of a small lake, not far from the ship, came upon an 

 old bird accompanied by three nestlings, which they brought to Mr. 

 Feilden. Lieut. A. W. Greely, U.S.A., commander of the late ex- 

 pedition to Lady Franklin sound, succeeded in obtaining the long- 

 sought-for egg of this species. The specimen of the bird and egg 

 were obtained in the vicinity of "Fort Conger," lat. 81" 44' N. The 

 egg was of a light pea-green colour, closely spotted with brown in 

 small specks about the size of a pin's head. (The Auk, Vol. II., pp. 

 312-313-) 



XCVII. ARQUATELLA Baird. 1858. 

 235. Purple Sandpiper. 



Arquatella maritima (Brunn.) Coues. 1861. 



Occurs in winter off the coast of Greenland, if the sea be open; 

 breeds on Melville peninsula and west side of Davis strait. (Arct. 

 Man.) Common in winter, and a few breed at Ivigtut, Greenland. 

 (Hagerup.) This species abounds on the Atlantic coast to the north 

 and south of Labrador in spring and fall. (Turner.) . Only one was 



