56 THE CONDOR Vol. XXIII 
piper known to be in existence at this date, because they remain sufficiently 
rare to attract attention among collectors. In making up the following list 
it is realized that omissions have probably occurred, but all of the information 
I possess on the subject is recorded. 
U. S. National Museum 2 sets One from Elliott, one from True and 
Prentiss. (See Palmer, Avif. Prib. Is., 
etc., p. 404.) 
Calif. Academy Sciences 14 sets From G. Dallas Hanna 
Harold Heath 2 sets 
J. Hooper Bowles 1 set From Dr. Heath 
A. C. Bent 1 set From H. P. Adams 
H. P. Adams 1 set 
G. Dallas Hanna 2 
sets Held temporarily 
MOtaltjec! eee oe ene 22 sets 
The young birds leave the nest very soon after they have hatched, and 
their coloration matches that of the tundra so exactly that they are almost in- 
visible. It is only when they are frightened suddenly that they move and 
thereby can be seen. They then run away with a plaintive ‘‘cheep, cheep,’’ 
the mother bird at the same time frantically feigning injury to attract the 
visitor to herself. She is much more solicitous of a young bird than of her 
egos. The male at such times may usually be seen perched on a ‘‘niggerhead ’’ 
not far away spreading one wing to the breeze. 
So far as known, the food of both old and young consists of beetles and 
flies while the birds remain on the highlands; when they move to the ponds 
and sea shores they eat copepods, amphipods, ete. The United States Biolog- 
ical Survey has been supplied with a large series of stomachs from which it 
is hoped a report as to the exact nature of the food may soon be forthcoming. 
The action of Ridgway (Birds of N. and Mid. Amer., VIII, 1919, p. 244) in 
considering the Pribilof Sandpiper a distinct species as originally designated. 
and not a subspecies of the Purple Sandpiper as was done by the A. O. U. 
Committee, seems entirely justifiable so far as field observations are con- 
cerned. No difficulty has been experienced in differentiating it from the Aleu- 
tian bird (the nearest. counterpart of the Purple Sandpiper on the west coast) 
when the two are found together in the same flock. The dark colors, small 
size, and apparently much more rapid flight of the Aleutian would seem to 
indicate that it even should be considered specifically distinct and not a sub- 
species of the Pribilof bird. 
As soon as the young birds are well able to fly they resort to the tide pools 
and small ponds near the gea. Later the older birds join them and the flocks 
increase in size to several hundred in favorable places. This takes place in 
August and September in such localities as the Salt Lagoon of St. Paul Island. 
The moult of the breeding plumage takes place slowly, and winter dress is not 
completely assumed until the birds are about ready to leave for the south on 
the fall migration. This takes place slowly and gradually during the latter 
part of September and October. 
The birds possess some economic importance to the natives of the Pribi- 
lofs and they have occasionally been eaten in the officers messes. Their habit 
of congregating in fairly compact flocks and their fearless unassuming nature 
make them easy targets. For this reason close watch should be kept of the 
numbers returning annually and should any noticeable diminution take place 
