THE BIRDS OF THE PRIUILOF ISLANDS. 401 



istrongly to produce dark colors, it would seem that the environments of this species 

 would lead, through a kiud of inanition, to the nonnecessity of a great production of 

 pigment-bearing cells. I would ascribe thfe whiteness of gulls and of the snowy owl 

 to the same cause — easy life, abundance of food, and especially, freedom from special 

 enemies which would provoke constant watchfulness and activity. 



One result of Mr. Elliott's ornithological work was the discovery of this species 

 as new, and later the knowledge of its restriction to these islands and to St. Matthews 

 as a summer resident. It is abundant and tame, and is usually found all over the 

 moss-covered tundra and in the vicinity of the ponds, and in the autumn on the 

 beaches ; but it is rare about the higher and central portions of St. Paul. The nest 

 is a mere hole scratched out in a bed of moss or lichens. Though I tramped many a 

 weary mile over their favorite grounds, where the birds were in pairs and abundant, I 

 did not succeed in ttuding eggs and but few very small young. This was probably 

 owing to a very early spring. The young leave the nest soon after hatching, and are 

 thoroughly well concealed by their mimicry of the confusing mixture of mosses, lich- 

 ens, and other forms of vegetation which abounds and are so well intermingled on 

 these islands. It requires much patience and a close scrutiny to detect a crouching 

 young, even when it is directly within reach. Obedient to their mother's cries they 

 flatten themselves with head and neck extended ; with each yard of the ground pre- 

 cisely similar in pattern and color with every other yard, and the parents, especially 

 the female, trying their best to coax us in other directions, and the uncertainty as to 

 the exact location of the young, all combine against the collector, so that few speci- 

 mens reward a tramp that seems exasperatingly needless. The young will not move, 

 though one stands with the foot touching them, but when once handled and released 

 they scamper off with all the quickness their long legs can givg them. When we 

 invade the vicinity of a nest or young it is amusing to watch the antics of the female. 

 She invariably flies in front and flutters with feigned lameness but a few feet away. 

 If the ground is rough it is more amusing to watch tiie precipitancy of her flight until 

 she disappears in a hollow, to reappear in a moment on the other side, cautiously turn- 

 ing round and eying us to see if we are following. She always keeps in front of us, no 

 matter which way we turn, and will continue thus for several hundred yards, when 

 she will suddenly fly oft' to some distance and after waiting a while will return to the 

 vicinity of the nest or young. They appear stupid when solitary and without a family, 

 and will stand perfectly still, eying one from a little emiuence. Occasionally we are 

 startled by a loud druvstt from the side of a sand dune, and I was at a loss for some 

 time to discover the owner of this most uumusical sound, which finally turned out to 

 be an individual of this species standing motionless and watching us. It would seem 

 impossible for this sound to have issued from this bird if I had not seen it in the act.' 

 These sandpipers have the habit in common with others of their kind of suddenly 

 elevating the wing directly over the back. Often when alighting on the tundra, as 

 soon as they stopped up went one wing, followed soon after, perhaps, by the other. 

 Often while watching a flock on the lagoon beach first one would elevate a wing, then 

 another j it was always the near wing which went up first. I never saw a bird elevate 

 the off wing first. 1 know of no reason for their doing so. They are tame. I have 



' Their ordinary note is quite musical, something like ivher-wher-wher-wher, quickly uttered. 

 5947— PT 3 -26 



