1883.] 385 [Brewster. 



nearly despaired of getting a shot when at length, actuated by 

 one of those unaccountable freaks occasionally shown by even 

 the shyest birds, the flock dashed by within close range and I 

 secured nine specimens with my two barrels. Several other 

 flocks which afterwards appeared were equally wary, but I man- 

 aged to get two or three long flying shots, adding four more birds 

 to the bag. 



The attraction at this particular spot was evidently a quantity 

 of drift-weed in or near which the birds always alighted. Their 

 motions on the water were peculiar. They usually settled close 

 together, but the flock soon became scattered over a wide area, 

 for each individual chose its own course without reference to that 

 of its neighbor. They swam rapidly and invariably in zig-zag 

 lines, accompanying each stroke of the feet with a graceful nod- 

 ding motion of the head. As they hurried about among the 

 floating sea-weed, visiting clump after clump in quick succession, 

 their movements resembled those of a colony of excited ants. 

 Occasionally one would alight or climb on a detached mass of 

 weed and spend a few moments in pluming its feathers ; but, as 

 a rule, they were too nervous and active to remain long at rest. 

 They floated very lightly on the water, nearly the whole body 

 being exposed, and when suspicious of danger stretched up their 

 slender necks to a surprising length. This attitude may have 

 suggested the seemingly inappropriate name " Sea Geese," by 

 which they are almost universally known among the fishermen. 



While on the wing they uttered a short quet exactly like that 

 of the Sanderling. Their flight was swift, erratic, and in every 

 way like that of the smaller Tringae. When about to alight 

 they often pitched down from a considerable height with closed 

 wings, much as Snipe will do under similar circumstances. One 

 that I wounded swam swiftly and dodged with such address that 

 I had great difficulty in catching it, but it did not attempt to 

 dive. 



All the specimens taken were adults. They still wore the 

 breeding plumage, but it was ragged and faded, and with the ma- 

 jority the autumnal moult had begun, more or less gray feathers 

 appearing among the brown or chestnut ones. Twelve of the 

 total thirteen were females. Dissection indicated that most of 



PROCEEDINGS B. S. N. H. VOL. XXII. 25 MAY, 1884. 



