Distribution of New England Birds. - 
A Reply to Dr. Brewer. H.A. Purdie. 
A word about the Stilt Sandpiper ( Micropalma himantopus), and I am 
done. In the “American Naturalist” (Yol. Ill, p. 639) is recorded the 
first supposed instance of its occurrence in New England. In the same 
periodical (Vol. VII, p. 727) is given the first supposed '* instance for 
Massachusetts. Again (in Yol. VI, p. 307) Mr. Brewster says : “ The Stilt 
Sandpiper (Micropalma himantopus), which I see was recorded in a recent 
number of the ‘ Naturalist ’ as new to our Fauna, I consider by no means 
rare in its migrations. Indeed, I have seen as many as six or seven sent 
into Boston market at one time, from Cape Cod, and, in the course of a 
few weeks’ shooting in August, at Bye Beach, N. H. (just north of our 
State limits), secured no less than ten specimens.” Not only has he since 
shot it, but he, as well as myself and others, find it frequently in the 
Boston markets. 
* Mr. F. C. Browne, of Framingham, has a specimen taken at Plymouth in 
1852. 
Bull. N. O.O. 2, Jaa.,1877.p. /"• 
Notes on an Unusual Flight of Stilt Sandpiper ( Micropalama 
himantopus). — While walking through the Boston Markets on August 12, 
1912, I was surprised to find large numbers of Stilt Sandpipers offered for 
sale. This species is rather uncommon and although a few generally occur 
each fall I had never before seen more than twenty or twenty-five in the 
market at one time. On this date nearly every stall had bunches of them 
and at one place I saw a large hamper filled with shore-birds nearly all of 
which were this species. There were a few Yellow-legs and Ruddy Turn- 
stones in the lot but I estimated that there were not less than two hundred 
Stilt Sandpipers in this one stall. The proprietor, whom I personally know, 
informed me that all came from Ipswich, Massachusetts, or the immediate 
vicinity. I could not learn from the other dealers where their birds had 
been shipped from but there is little doubt that practically all came from 
points along the Massachusetts coast. 
The presence of so many birds in the market would seem to indicate an 
unusual flight along the coast and the following observations made on 
Long Island, N. Y., on the same date by my friend, Mr. John Treadwell 
Nichols, of the American Museum of Natural History, may throw some 
light on the extent of this flight. With his kind permission I quote the fol- 
lowing from his letter. 
“On August 12, 1912, I observed an unusual flight of Stilt Sandpipers 
at Mastic, Long Island. In about three hours time, in the early morning, 
approximately 200 birds passed by a single set of stool (decoys). They 
were in flocks of varying size, and mixed with them were a very few Lesser 
Yellow-legs and Dowitchers. The Stilt Sandpipers taken and observed 
(and I imagine all the rest) were in barred plumage.” — F. Seymour Her- 
sey, Taunton , Mass. 
