554 
BULLETIN OF THE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 
Charadrius dominions. Golden Plover. 
Aegialitis semipalmata. Ring-neck. 
Arenaria interpres. Turn-stone. 
Gallinago delicata. Wilson’s Snipe. 
Merganser serrator. Sheldrake. 
Anas boschas. Mallard. 
“ obscura. Dusky Duck. 
“ Carolinensis. Green-winged Teal. 
“ discors. Blue-winged Teal. 
Dafila acuta. Pintail. 
Glaucionetta clangula Americana. Whistler. American Golden-eye. 
Branta Canadensis. Canada Goose. 
“ bernicla. Brant. 
The red-breasted sandpiper arrives about the first of Septem- 
ber and is found in considerable numbers till about the 20th of 
the month. Specimens in the summer plumage with the rufous 
brown abdomen are rare ; certainly nineteen-twentieths are in full 
ashy-gray winter coat. 
Grass birds breed on the island and the small young birds are 
always found on the salt-marshes. The northern flight of mature 
birds rarely arrives before the 15th of September and often not 
till the 25th or later even, and the numbers vary very much in 
different years. They remain usua'ly but a short time, but in some 
years the salt marshes are fairly alive with them during their 
short stay. 
The white-rumped sandpiper and the least sandpiper are the 
most abundant of any of the shore birds. They are present in 
large flocks in August and continue so till about the 20th of 
September. Sanderlings are never seen in large numbers ; they 
are generally late in arriving, about September 10th to September 
15th. 
The ring-tailed marlin years ago was not uncommon although 
never seen in large flocks. In the eighties, a few specimens were 
shot every year, but in the last fifteen years I do not think I have 
seen more than one or two, and certainly none for the last ten 
years. It was formerly their habit to fly from the seashore to the 
muddy banks of the freshwater ponds at dusk, where they 
apparently passed the night. Yellow-legs are fairly abundant 
although never in very large flocks ; they remain through 
September. 
