146 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. 



like others peculiar to those eastern lands, may occasionally be 

 wafted westward against its inclinations, but no nest of the species 

 has yet been found on this side of the Atlantic. 



In 1867, the Board of Arts of Western Canada prepared a "Cata- 

 logue of Birds Observed in the Country," in connection with the 

 collection which, during that year, was sent to the Paris Exposition. 

 The Curlew Sandpiper is named in the catalogue, but no specimen 

 was available for the collection. I have mentioned it here, chiefly 

 with the view of placing the technical description in the hands of 

 those interested, so that they may be able to identify the species 

 should they at any time fall in with it. 



Genus EREUNETES Illiger. 

 EREUKETES PUSILLUS (Linn.). 



104. 'Semipalmated Sandpiper. (246) 



Adult in summer: — Above, variegated with black, bay and ashy or white, 

 each feather with a black field, reddish edge and whitish tip ; rump and upper 

 tail coverts, except the lateral ones, blackish ; tail feathers, ashy-gray, the 

 central darker ; primaries dusky, the shaft of the first white ; a dusky line from 

 the bill to the eye, and a white superciliary line; below, pure white, usually 

 rufescent on the breast, and with more or less dusky speckling on the throat, 

 breast and sides, in young birds usually wanting; in winter the upper parts 

 mostly plain ashy-gray ; but in any plumage or xinder any variation the species 

 is known by its small size and semipalmated feet. Length, 5J-6J inches; 

 wing 4J-4f ; tarsus and middle toe and claw, about 1 ; bill, variable from i to 

 1^, averaging J. 



Hab. — Eastern Province of North America, breeding north of the United 

 States ; south in winter to the West Indies and South America. 



Nest, a depression in the ground, in or near some moist place, lined with 

 withered grass. 



Eggs, three or four, variable in color, usually clay color, blotched or spotted 

 with umber-brown. 



This is a very abundant species during the season of migration, 

 thronging alike the shores of the Atlantic and those of our inland 

 lakes and marshes. 



They visit the borders of Hamilton Bay in spring and fall in con- 

 siderable numbers, but are so much disturbed by amateur gunners 

 that they soon seek for more retired feeding grounds elsewhere. 



They are usually found associating with the Least Sandpiper, 

 which they much resemble in general appearance, but the semipal- 



