80 
TOTANUS SEMIPALMATUS. 
GENUS l,l.-~TOTANCS, Eeciistuix. 
226. TOTiXVH SEMIFALMATUS, TEJIJIINCK. 
SCOLOFAX SEStlVALMATA, WILSON. SEMIPAI.MATED SNIf^' 
WII.SON, PLATE LVI. FIG. III. 
This is one of the most noisy and noted birds 
inhabit our salt marshes in summer. Its common na^ 
is the Tvillet, by which appellation it is universi*^ 
known along the shores of New York, New Jers* 
Delaware, and Maryland, — in all of which places 
breeds in great numbers. 
The niiiet i.s peculiar to America. It arrive.s ft^ 
the south on the shores of the Middle States ab^ 
the 20th of April, or beginning of May ; and from O' 
time to the last of July, its loud and shrill reiteratiej 
of pill-will-willet, pill-will-uillet, resound, almost ’! 
cessaiitly, along the marshes, and may be distin*^'! 
heard at the distance of more than half a mile. A^i 
the 20th of May, the wiilets generally begin to 1®^ 
Their nests are built on the ground, among the 
of the salt marshes, pretty well towards the land>^ 
cultivated fields, and are composed of wet rushes 
coarse grass, fonning a slight hollow or cavity 
tussock. This nest is gradually increased during 
period of laying and sitting, to the height of five 
inches. The eggs are usually four in number, 
thick at the great end, and tapering to a iiarro'' 
dingy olive, largely blotched with blackish bro'' 
particularly at the great cud. In some, the 
colour has a tinge of green ; in others, of bluish. T” ; 
are excellent eating, as I have often experienced "*'1 
...1.1.! ^y.| 1 ..»< 
obliged to dine on them in my hunting excurs>® 
♦ From some unknown cause, the height of laying of these 
is said to be full two W’^eeks later than it was twenty years 
