BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 



39 



summer from Kentucky to New York, but are nowhere numerous, 

 seldom more than one, or two being seen together. Dr. Coues has 

 found " young birds in July in northern Dakota, about the pools of 

 Turtle mountain." The same writer also states that " in Maryland 

 and Virginia, and in nearly correspondent latitudes in the west, I have 

 shot birds in August so young as to leave no doubt in my mind that 

 they were bred in the vicinity." Nuttall says : u A pair, but oftener 

 a single individual, have frequented, very familiarly, the small fish- 

 pond in the Botanic Garden in Cambridge. Attracted by the numer- 

 ous Donatias and their larvae, which feed upon the water-lily (Nym- 

 p h< I'd odorata), I observed one of them tripping along upon the sink- 

 ing leaves with great agility, expanding its wings and gently flitting 

 over the treacherous element in the manner of the Rail. At another 

 time, probably the same individual (who at first was accompanied by 

 a mate) was seen day after day collecting insects, and contentedly 

 resting in the interval on the border of the pond. The water having 

 been recently let off, the lily leaves and insects were covered with 

 mud. As soon as our little familiar and cleanly visitor had swallowed 

 a few of these insects, he washed them down with a drink of water, 

 and at the same time took the precaution to cleanse his bill and throat. 

 Indeed, it is remarkable that however dirty the employment of these 

 shore birds may be, so neat are they in all their habits that not a stain 

 or a soil is allowed for a moment to remain upon their limbs or plu- 

 mage. * * According to the observations of Mr. Ives (of Salem), 

 the Solitary Sandpiper swims and dives with great facility, when dis- 

 abled from flying by a wound; it even proceeds under the water, like 

 the Divers or Grebes, and is only overtaken by a close pursuit." 



According to Audubon, the Solitary Sandpiper is expert in catching 

 insects on the wing, " especially the smaller kinds of dragon-flies, 

 which it chases from the sticks on which they alight, and generally 

 seizes before they have flown across the little ponds which are the 

 favorite places of resort of this species. I have found their stomachs 

 filled with aquatic insects, caterpillars of various kinds, and black 

 spiders of considerable size." 



