NORTff AMERICAN BIRDS. 137 



rare, but Murdoch was of the opinion that it bred there, for a female was killed with 

 full-sized eggs in her ovaries; but he never lound the nest. At the Yukon mouth Dall 

 found the Knot rare and obtained a young bird at St. Michael's. This species seems 

 to be more numerous about Hudson Bay and on Melville Peninsula. Hagerup states 

 that the Knot is a common summer resident of Greenland, in the northern portion 

 of which it breeds. An authentic egg of the Knot has for many years been the object 

 of special and diligent search by eminent naturalists and explorers traveling in 

 Arctic regions where this bird is known to live during the season of production. 

 Lieut. A. W. Greely, U. S. A., commander of the late expedition to Lady Franklin 

 Sound, succeeded in obtaining the long-sought-for egg of the Knot. C. H. Merriam 

 publishes the first account of it, written by Lieut. Greely, as follows: "The specimen 

 of bird and egg were obtained in the vicinity of Port Conger, latitude of 81° 44' N. 

 The egg was 1.10 inch [28 mm.] in the longer axis, and 1 Inch [25.40 mm.] in the 

 shorter. Color, light pea green, closely spotted with brown in small specks about 

 the size of a pin-head."* 



235. PURPLE SANDPIPER. Tringa maritima Brunn. Geog. Dist.— North- 

 ern portions of Northern Hemisphere; in North America, chiefly the northeastern 

 portions, migrating south In winter to Eastern and Middle States. Mississippi 

 Valley. 



The Purple Sandpiper is found in the high Arctic regions of America and 

 Europe. Said to be a resident of the Aleutian Islands. Breeds in the Faroe Islands, 

 Iceland, and in Greenland, where some remain in the fiords of -the southern portion 

 all winter. Dr. Richardson states that it breeds abundantly on Melville Peninsula 

 and on the shores of Hudson Bay. The nest is a mere depression in the soil with a 

 scant lining of dry grass. The eggs are clay color, shaded with olivaceous, with 

 large and distinct markings of rich umber-brown of different depths of Intensity all 

 over the shell, but most numerous as well as largest on the greater half; pyriform; 

 the eggs are usually four in number, and measure about 1.40 by 1.00. 



^36. ALEUTIAN SANDPIPER. Triii(/u coiiesi (Ridgw.) Geog. Dist.— Coasts 

 and islands of Bering Sea, north to St. Michael's. 



Closely allied to the last species, and the birds are hardly distinguishable In 

 their respective winter plumages. It is common in the Aleutian and other islands, 

 and also along the coast of Bering Sea as far west as the Commander Islands. Dr. 

 Stejneger records it as a resident of the latter group, found there during both sum- 

 tner and winter. The first eggs are laid about the middle of May. These are de- 

 scribed a pale olive-buff, varying to light brownish-buff, spotted and blotched with 

 vandyke-brown or deep umber; size 1.46x1.00. 



237. PRYBILOF SANDPIPER. TriVffa ptilaciicmin Coues. Geog. Dist. — 

 Prybilof Islands, Bering Sea. 



The Black-breasted Sandpiper, as it is called, is confined to the Prybilof group 

 and several other islands of Bering Sea; but does not visit the Commander Islands. 

 It Is said to be the only wader that breeds on the Prybilof Islands. In May it nests 

 on the dry uplands and mossy hummocks, placing its nest in bunches of moss, in 

 which four pyriform eggs are laid. The eggs are described as light brownish-buff, 

 heavily spotted with rich chestnut-brown, clouded with purplish-gray. Average size 

 1.50x1.07. 



*Auk, Vol. II, p. 313. 



