l66 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 



number were seen and a few specimens taken at Twelve-mile Lake, 

 near Wood Mountain, Assa. 



Their great numbers in the east during the migrations and their 

 late and dilatory spring movement in the west, point to their 

 chief breeding grounds being on the southern and western shores- 

 of Hudson Bay, between James Bay and York Factory, as here 

 there is a low marshy shoie just suited for nesting. The Severn, 

 where Hutchins found them breeding, is in this district. West- 

 ward of Hudson Bay it extends to Point Barrow in Alaska, where 

 Murdoch says it arrives in large flocks in July and leaves in 

 August. All came from the east and the specimens taken were 

 young birds. 



One male taken at Ducks, near Kamloops, B.C., August i8th, 

 1889, by Clark P. Streator. Not uncommon in the Lower Fraser 

 valley. {Brooks.) 



Breeding Notes. — Occurs sparingly at the mouth of the 

 Koksoak River, Ungava Bay, Labrador, and from its actions indi- 

 cated breeding. Audubon Vol. V., 278, states that he found them 

 dispersed in pairs and having nests early in June in Labrador. 

 {Turner.) Mr. Hutchins in 1770 writes as follows : — "This species 

 arrives at Severn River (about 150 miles south east of York 

 Factory) by the middle of May in large flocks, builds a nest early 

 in June of withered grass, and lays four or five black and white 

 spotted eggs. Towards the autumn it has a chirruping note, and 

 in September it retires to the southward." {Richardson.) 



Fairly abundant in the Barren Grounds, but more so on the 

 shores of Franklin Bay, where a number of specimens with eggs 

 were procured. {Macfarlane.) 



MUSEUM SPECIMENS. 



Nine specimens. One, taken at Toronto, purchased with the 

 Holman collection ; two at Indian Head, Assa., in June, 1892 ; 

 two at Thirty-mile Spring and two at Twelve-mile Lake, Wood 

 Mountain, June 3rd and 6th, 1895 ; one at Crane Lake, Assa., June 

 I2th, 1894; and one at Banff, Rocky Mountains, in May, 1891, 

 all by Mr. W. Spreadborough, 



^47. Western Semipalmated Sandpiper. 



Ereunetes ocddentalis Lawr. 1864. 



As soon as the snow disappears on the low ground about Norton 

 Sound, Alaska, these little birds arrive on the shore of Behring 



