BIRDS OF NORTHERN CANADA 335 



the eggs were almost ready to hatch, so that but two of them 

 were emptied, and the others were put in alcohol for trans- 

 mission to Washington. A week earlier another Indian 

 found a nest containing four eggs similarly incubated, and a 

 third hunter observed as many (four) nearly hatched young 

 in another nest. This species is not rare in this locality. 

 Mr. Ross obtained skins as far north as Fort Simpson, where 

 he found it somewhat rare. I have, however, observed it 

 much farther north. 



The Ottawa Museum contains eight specimens, one taken 

 in Toronto, purchased with the Holman Collection, and the 

 others from Ottawa, Indian Head, and one taken at Vic- 

 toria, Vancouver Island, in March, 1890. Eggs are absent ! 



263. Spotted Saistdpipee — Aditis maciiJaria (Linn.). 



Two sets of eggs with the parents, obtained at Forts Rae 

 and Resolution during the breeding season of 1881, were 

 duly forwarded to Mr. Dalgleish. At Pelican Narrows, 

 Cumberland District, early in June, 1890, Mr. Henry Mc- 

 Kay discovered a nest of this species, composed of some dry 

 grasses placed in a small cavity on the shore of a small lake. 

 It held four eggs. A few days later Indian hunters brought 

 him the contents of three nests. He states that they held 

 from three to four eggs, and that by the autumn the birds 

 become so very fat that they are often run down and caught 

 by hand. This sandpiper is present throughout the district 

 of New Caledonia, B.C., while we collected but one example. 

 Not being desiderata, comparatively few eggs were collected 

 by us at Forfr Anderson, although the birds are fairly numer- 

 ous on the Lockhart and Anderson rivers, and at many other 

 points in Athabasca and Mackenzie River districts. We did 

 not see any, however, on the Polar sea-coast. Common at 

 Fort Simpson. 



There are ten specimens of the bird and three sets of 

 e^s in the National Museum at Ottawa. One of the latter 

 was taken in Labrador, one set from Repulse Bay, Hudson 

 22 



