General Notes 
Tryngites subruficollis — I have met with and taken but few Buff-breasted 
Sandpipers in my shooting experience on the Massachusetts coast; my 
record shows but eleven during the last seventeen years, all of them 
having been shot on the island of Nantucket. Six of these were taken on 
Sept. 8, 1875; one on Aug. 26, 1879; one on Aug. 28, and one on Sept. 1, 
1886; one on Sept. 5, 1892. I am consequently inclined to regard them 
as not very abundant in the above locality. Of the few which I have seen 
I have remarked their extreme gentleness and desire to be in company 
with other birds. On one occasion I had one alight among my Plover 
decoys on the upland (which they seem very fond of frequenting) and, not 
wishing to shoot it, I allowed it to remain for quite a while so I could 
watch it. During this time it moved about with unconcern, apparently 
not being aware that its supposed companions were of wood. It seemed 
so gentle that I determined to see how near it would permit me to approach, 
and it was not over five or six feet from me when it flew away, but only for 
a short time, however, for it returned and alighted in the course of ten or 
fifteen minutes. Having no desire to shoot it, I allowed it to remain until 
it departed not to return. All the birds that I have seen come immedi- 
ately to the decoys on perceiving them, and alight without hesitation or 
fear. Their flight is rapid, with many turns and zigzag movements, and near 
the ground, constantly turning up so as to show their entire under parts. 
They vary greatly in size, so much so that, speaking from memory, 
I should say some of those I have recorded were nearly two thirds larger 
than others I think the plumage of the younger birds is rather lighter 
colored all over than the adults’. I have never observed more than 
seven or eight birds in a flock, and then only once. With their noticeable, 
clean-cut outline, and peculiarly soft, blended plumage, they are one of our 
most graceful and attractive Sandpipers. — Gegrge W. Mackay, Nan- 
tucket , Mass. Auk 1 ^, Oct, 1892* p, 389-90 ^ 
Shore Birds of Gape Cod. 
John C. Cahoon. 
Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Tryngites suhruji- 
collis, (Vieill.) A rare spring and autumn mi- 
grant. I have never seen this bird in the spring, j 
I have taken two specimens on Monomoy 
Island, one Sept. 24th, 1885, and the other Aug. 
30th, 1886. They were both in adult plumage 
and were shot on a wet salt marsh where they 
were associating with Pectoral Sandpipers. 1 
am inclined to believe that if a sharp lookout 
was kept for this bird at the time of the flights 
of the Pectoral Sandpipers, they would be 
found to be of tolerably common occurrence. | 
Q.& O. XIII, Sept. 1888 p. 132 
