SANDPIPERS 



(258) Catoptrophorus semi- 

 palmatus semipalmatus 



(GmeJ.) (Gr., mirror, to carry, referring 

 to the white wing patch; Lat., half-webbed). 



WILLET. Bill rather stout. Feet 

 partially webbed. Plumage in sum- 

 mer as shown; quite variable however. 

 In winter, with all black markings 

 showing verj' faintly if at all. L., 

 16.00; W., 8.00; Tar., 2.50; B., 

 2.25. 



Range — Breeds from Va. lo Fla. 



(258a) C. s. inornatus 



(Brcu'sler). 



WESTERN WILLET. A slightly 

 larger variety breeding from Man. 

 and Ore. south to the Gulf and Cal. 

 In migrations, casual on the Atlantic 

 coast to New England. 



(260) RUFF (iVIachetes pugnax). 

 An European species casual from 

 Greenland to N. Car. 



over the back, showing the characteristic barring on the 

 under surface, and then carefully tucked into place. 



For years they were birds of mystery even to ornithologists. 

 Although the birds were present during summer in northern 

 United States and southern Canada, their nests could not 

 be found. The most mysterious feature, as we look at it 

 now, is that the solution was not found sooner, for their 

 breeding habits are now known to be the same as those of 

 the very similar European species, the Green Sandpiper. 

 Instead of nesting on the ground, as all our other shore 

 birds do, they lay their eggs in deserted nests of some of the 

 land birds, either in trees or bushes. They have been found 

 in Waxwing and Robin nests and may be looked for in any 

 nest of similar size. 



WILLETS are large shore birds, exceeding in size the 

 Greater Yellow-legs and approaching that of the large Cur- 

 lew. They are separated into two races, the Eastern and 

 Western, but the differences are so very slight that the 

 distinctions are quite unsatisfactory. 



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