WESTERN WILLET 421 



birds may be seen " . . . flying in large circles high in the air, pouring 

 out a rapid stream of whistling notes, sounding like pill-will-willet, 

 repeated over and over again for a period of several minutes" (Bent, 

 1907b, p. 427). 



Although the Western "Willet is associated in our minds with the 

 sea-coast, its nesting grounds lie, for the most part, far in the interior. 

 In California it has been found breeding at Beckwith, Plumas County, 

 at an elevation of about 5,000 feet (Cooke, 1910, p. 62), and birds 

 taken on June 3 and 10, 1910, in the vicinity of Davis Creek at the 

 southern end of Goose Lake, Modoc County, elevation 4,500 feet, 

 showed by their actions that they had nests in the vicinity (W. P. 

 Taylor, MS). The species breeds in the north-central United States 

 west through the northern Great Basin, and in southern Canada ; also 

 locally in a small coastal area in Texas and Louisiana. Eggs have 

 been taken from May 2 (partly incubated) until June Ti (fresh), 

 these dates probably indicating the extent of the breeding season. 



The nests may be placed either on marshland in close proximity 

 to water or on dry prairies a considerable distance from it. The nest 

 is constructed of grasses and such other suitable plant materials as 

 may be at hand. It is sometimes a mere depression in the grass, with 

 sparse lining, again a quite bulky affair. The eggs usually number 

 four and measure in inches, 2.02 to 2.17 by 1.47 to 1.58. The ground 

 color varies from grayish white to buff and even olive, while the 

 superficial markings, usually more numerous about the larger end, are 

 of various shades of brown, the deeper ones of p^irplish gray (Goss, 

 1891, p. 195). They are more bluntly pear-shaped than the eggs of 

 many other shore birds. 



The set which forms the basis for Cooke's record from Beckwith, 

 Plumas County, was collected May 28, 1891, and consisted of three 

 eggs. The eggs measure in inches, 2.08 to 2.16 by 1.43 to 1.48, and 

 average 2.12 by 1.46. In coloration they agree with the description 

 given by Goss (supra cit.). These eggs, which now form set no. 

 24582 in the United States National Museum, were collected by N. R. 

 Christie; for W. F. Webb of Geneva, New York. The data accompany- 

 ing this set state that Mr. Christie took three sets of this species all 

 alike in color, etc., "some of four eggs and some of three," all on the 

 same day. The eggs were fresh. The nest was constructed simply of 

 grass and was situated on swampy ground on a large stock ranch. 



During the nesting season Western Willets often perch in low 

 trees as do many of the other larger shore birds (Goss, 1891, p. 195). 

 In Modoc County W. P. Taylor (MS) observed them perching on 

 fence posts along roads. If the vicinity of the nest be approached by 

 an intruder the birds fly some distance toward him and attempt to 

 divert his attention by circling about and uttering their shrill calls 



