Western Solitary Sandpiper 123 
In Colorado this Sandpiper is a fairly common transient visitor, 
while some birds stay through the summer and probably breed, though 
eggs have not been taken in the State. in 
It reaches Colorado about the last week in April, and is most common 
in the plains though noticed as high as Breckenridge by Carter, and at 
Pennsylvania Lake at 8,500 feet, August 27th, by Felger (Henderson). 
Summer and possibly breeding records are: Grand Junction, June 22nd, 
(Rockwell), near Kremmling, July 13th (Cary), Pueblo, July 27th 
(Henshaw), South Park, July, and Palmer Lake, Augus (Allen); while 
on migration it has been taken at Salida, April 25th (Colo. Coll. Mus.), 
El Paso co., May Ist (Allen & Brewster), Barr Lake in the fall (Hersey 
& Rockwell), and Loveland, April 20th (W. G. Smith). 
Habits.—The solitary Sandpiper is fond of quiet ponds 
among the mountains surrounded by forest, and is then 
rather solitary in its habits, but during migration it 
is often seen in flocks. It wades with graceful move- 
ments along the shallows in search of mollusca, insects 
and worms, for which it probes with its bill. It is some- 
what silent, differing in this respect from the Yellow-legs 
or Tailers. 
It has only quite recently been discovered (“‘ Ibis,” 05, 
p. 158) that they make use of the nests of other birds 
in which to lay their eggs. Evan Tompson, a collector 
employed by Walter Raine, took three clutches in June, 
1903 and 1904, in northern Alberta; they were found 
in the nest of an American Robin, a Bronzed Grackle, 
and a Cedar Bird respectively. In each case the clutch 
was four, and the eggs, which averaged 1°36 x °98, were 
pale greenish-white, spotted and blotched with shades 
of brown and purple. In this matter the Solitary Sand- 
piper follows the Green Sandpiper of Europe. Further 
search will probably result in the discovery of eggs in 
Colorado. 
Genus CATOPTROPHORUS. 
Large birds — wing 8 to 9 — with the general characteristics of 
Totanus ; bill longer than the head, culmen about equal to the tarsus ; 
