332 THEOITGH THE MACKEl^ZIE BASIN 



found between two small brackish lakes near the sea-shore, 

 it may be stated that one of our party, a French-Canadian 

 from Quebec, heard the female parent utter a shi-ill note of 

 alarm as she flew away when he approached her nest. After 

 searching around for several minutes, he failed to find the 

 eggs, and he then hid himself in order to watch where she 

 would alight on her return. In a short time she came back, 

 accompanied by three companions, all of whom flew and 

 moved about, but not discovering anything, they seemed to 

 hold a brief consultation, after which they separated, the 

 female going to her nest. Another search on his part failed 

 to locate same, while she cleared off and soon returned with 

 her three friends, who appeared to be in a state of great 

 excitement, judging from their angry chattering. After a 

 little while they again separated, when the nest was found 

 and the parent shot for identification of itself and her four 

 eggs. The report of the gun brought the others once more to 

 the spot, but they at once beat a hasty retreat." This nest was 

 particularly well protected from ordinary observation. Mr. 

 Ross found this sandpiper rare at Eort Simpson. 



Mr. Hutchins, writing in lYTO, says : " This species 

 arrives at Severn Kiver (about one hundred and fifty miles 

 south-east of York Factory, Hudson Bay) by the middle of 

 May in large fiocks, '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 chirping note, and in Sep- 

 tember it retires to the southward." There are nine speci- 

 mens, but no eggs, in the National Museum Collection at 

 Ottawa ! 



248. Sa'Ndeeling — Calidris arenaria (Linn.). 



Early in June, 1891, a specimen of this somewhat rare 

 and interesting bird was shot by Mr. Henry McKay near 

 Pelican Narrows, Cumberland District. " On the 29th 

 of June, 1864, we discovered a nest of this species in the 

 Barren Grounds east of Fort Anderson. It contained four 



