338 THEOUGH THE MACKENZIE BASIN 



region. The nest is a hole in the gravel or ground, usually 

 not far from water. Eggs, four, always 'standing upon the 

 small end in the nest." This is an interesting peculiarity 

 never observed by me in the nest of any bird found, nor has 

 any one ever, to my knowledge, called attention thereto. The 

 Ottawa Museum holds eight specimens and several sets of 

 eggs,. taken at Indian Head, Saskatchewan, and Edmonton, 

 Alberta, in 1892 and 1897. 



274. Semipalmated Plovee — JEgialitis semipalmata 

 (Bonap.). 



A nest containing four eggs believed to belong to a 

 plover of this species was found at Fort Rae, Great Slave 

 Lake, in the spring of 1880, and in due time it was for- 

 warded to Mr. Dalgleish. We found this bird quite common 

 along the Lockhart and Anderson rivers, on the shores of 

 Liverpool and Franklin bays, and in the country between 

 Forts Anderson and Good Hope, many years ago. Twenty 

 nests were found, and their contents were shipped to the 

 Smithsonian Institution at Washington. When the nest 

 was closely approached, the female usually glided therefrom 

 and ran a short distance before flying, occasionally drooping 

 the wings and pretending lameness. The nest is a mere 

 cavity in the sand lined with a few withered leaves. 



Professor Macoun states that " this bird makes its sum- 

 mer home and brings forth its young from IJngava Bay, on 

 the north-east coast of Labrador, to Norton Sound, in Alaska. 

 It is, however, more plentiful east of the Mackenzie River 

 than west of it. It is known only as a rare migrant in 

 British Columbia, and not known to breed." There are two 

 specimens, both taken at Indian Head by Mr. W. Spread- 

 borough, and four eggs taken in Labrador by Mr. A. P. 

 Low, and eight by Mr. Payne in Hudson Strait, in the spring 

 of 1885, and others taken at Whale River, Hudson Bay, in 

 the Ottawa Museum. 



