Jan., 1910 
FROM FIELD AND STUDY 
15 
ulate chin. It was perhaps ten years since my last sight of birds of their kind — at Ipswich, 
Massachusetts — and naturally I observed them with much interest. They neither bobbed nor 
teetered, but had a plover-like trick of half squatting, or crouching, when startled. In running, 
and now and then when standing still, they assumed a peculiarly erect attitude, which gave them 
the appearance of being, for sandpipers, uncommonly long-neckt. 
On September 20, three birds were present, and on the 21st and 2.3rd a single bird was seen. 
In Mr. Grinnell’s Check-List of California Birds, 1902, the status of the Pectoral Sandpiper 
is given as ‘‘rare migrant; known only from the record of J. G. Cooper of its occurrence at San 
Francisco Bay”; and Messrs. Dawson and Bowles, in their Birds of Washington, mark it as ‘‘casual 
during migrations.” — Bradford Torrey. 
An Albino Magpie. — The accompanying half-tone is from a photo of a remarkably fine 
mounted specimen of an albino Magpie ( Pica pica hudsonia). This bird was one of two albino 
birds, in a brood the balance of which was normal in every respect. 
The other albino bird was captured and kept in captivity by Mr. Brown of Littleton for some 
time. It was very wild even after being in captivity for some time, and repeated attempts to se- 
cure a satisfactory picture of the live bird failed. 
Fig. 16. AL,BINO MAGPIE, ONE OF TWO IN AN OTHERWISE NORMAI, BROOD, IN COI r O R A DO 
In color both birds were pure white save for a slight creamy tint which may have been due 
to soiled plumage. The bird photographed was mounted by Jonas Brothers, Taxidermists, of 
Denver. — R. B. Rockweel. 
Notes from Sacaton, Arizona. — October 25, 1909, I notist a flock of about 75 small birds 
flying above a field of grass and alfalfa. At first glance I thought they were House Finches in a 
fall flock, but the distance was several hundred feet and their actions were not orthodox for the 
finches or linnets. The flock remained in one spot too long, and other indefinite indications 
made me question their identity. While watching them a Cooper Hawk gave chase and secured 
one of the birds in mid-air. I secured a gun and went back to the field for a specimen. They 
allowed me to approach very near before taking flight, as close as twenty feet in some cases. 
While on the ground they were very hard to distinguish, as the grass clumps were about dry and 
the birds remained motionless when I got near them. One was at last seen distinctly, and a shot 
brought down that one and another near by but unseen. A peculiarity which imprest me was 
the fact that the whole flock did not rise at once, but as I approacht close enough a few would 
fly at a time. As they would wheel in the air the white of the tail showed in a striking manner. 
Three were obtained and identified as Chestnut-collared Longspurs ( Calcarius ornatus ) in winter 
dress. 
