124 Birds of Colorado 
legs moderate, but tarsus clearly exceeding middle toe and claw; 
webbing between the toes more extensive; base of the tail and a 
patch on the wing white. 
, One species confined to America with an eastern and western race, 
the latter averaging larger and paler. 
Western Willet. 
Catoptrophorus semipalmatus inornatus. 
A.O.U. Checklist no 258a—Colorado Records—Ridgway 73, p. 187; 
Henshaw 75, p. 457; Allen & Brewster 83, p. 198; Drew 85, p. 18; 
Morrison, 88, p. 139; 89, p. 168; Cooke 97, pp. 19, 67, 200; Warren 
06, p. 19; Hersey & Rockwell 09, p. 116. 
Description.—_In_ summer—Above ashy-grey, streaked with dusky 
to a varying degree, chiefly along the centres of the feathers ; upper 
tail-coverts white, some of the longer ones barred with dusky ; primaries 
dusky, white on the basal half, making a conspicuous white wing-patch ; 
most of the secondaries white; below white, fore-neck spotted, breast 
and sides marked with transverse bars of dusky, often a little pale 
rufous as well; iris brown, bill dusky, legs bluish. Length 14:5; 
wing 8-75; tail 3-2; culmen 2-5; tarsus 2-6. 
In winter the birds are nearly uniform ashy above, and white 
below, shaded on the fore-neck with greyish. Young birds are darker 
and more brown above, the feathers edged with ochraceous. 
Distribution.—Breeding from Manitoba and Alberta south to Texas, 
west of the Mississippi; in winter further south into Mexico. 
The Willet is fairly common in Colorado on migration, while a certain 
number of birds are said to remain to breed, both in the plains and 
mountains up to 12,000 feet (Morrison), though I have not been 
able to find any definite account of the nest and eggs being taken in 
the State. 
It arrives from the south about the first week in May and has been 
noticed at Monon, April 28th (Warren), Fort Lyon, May 2nd (Thorne), 
near Colorado Springs, May 1—7th (Aiken coll), Denver, May 10th 
(Henshaw), Barr, common in spring (Hersey & Rockwell), and Love- 
land, April 27th, May 5th (W. G. Smith)—in the plains—and at 
Crested Butte, May (Warren), and Breckenridge (Carter)—in the 
mountains. Morrison found it common near Fort Lewis in September, 
and Aiken procured a bird of the year, August 29th, close to Leadville. 
Habits—This large and conspicuous bird is found 
about marshes and lakes, where it obtains its food among 
the stones and weeds. It is very restless and noisy, 
especially when its breeding-places are invaded. 
