400 ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES FROM THE WEST. 
Wilson’s snipe was so abundant that Mr. Bennett bagged fourteen 
in the space of afew hours. The red-breasted sandpiper became 
common after September 25th. The greater yellow-legs and the 
red-backed sandpiper were alsocommon; whilst the spotted, soli- 
tary and least sandpipers and the lesser yellow-legs were only 
occasionally met with. Wilson’s phalarope, the avocet, and the 
black-necked stilt were abundant and characteristic birds, being 
summer residents and breeding abundantly on the islands and 
shores of Salt Lake. The last two are called ‘ white snipes!” 
Of the avocet we saw flocks of thousands on the sand bars and 
mud flats at the mouth of Weber River. The glossy ibis (called 
“ black snipe!”) is now a common summer bird, but we were 
assured it had only made its appearance here during the last few 
years. The white ibis seems to be also a common summer species, 
‘which we saw, however, but once; and the greater part of the 
glossy ibises had migrated before our arrival. Of the seven spec- 
imens seen we obtained five, although we found it an excessively 
wary bird. ) ; 
Of herons we saw the great blue, and obtained the night heron 
and the bittern, all of which were tolerably common ; and cran 
are said to occur in abundance in spring and fall. Of rails, the 
Virginia, the Carolina, and the marsh hen (Rallus elegans) were 
apparently the most common, though few of either were seen. - 
mud-hen or coot, however, was found in all the ponds and lagoons 
in great numbers. 
The abundance of the swimming birds is even n 
credible, though they are far less numerous and much more "a 
than formerly. Thirteen species of ducks were obtained without 
special effort, all of which were common, and about one- pe 
were abundant, as follows :— the pintail, oreen-winged teal, ; 
whilst the 
breasted teal, gadwall and red-head were each abundant, 
ruddy duck 
Wea, A i: 
fas) a eae 8, Se 
ow almost in- 
ous, and the snow goose or “ white-brant” began to arrive ar 
siderable numbers about October 1st. Two specie 
also noticed, the horned and the Carolina, the lat 
dant. Three species of Laride were obtained, two of W gs gully 
seen only after about October 1st. These were the Sabine $ on 
Bonaparte’s gull. The three adult specimens taken of the 
