598 
ECONOMIC RELATIONS OF OUR BIRDS. 
218. Rhyacophilus solitarius (Wils.), Bp. SOLITARY TATTLER. 
Group I. Class c. 
A common migrant and also a summer resident in small numbers. It fre¬ 
quents small brooks with dry stony banks, as well as the marshy ponds. 
Food: Of nine specimens examined, one had eaten a caterpillar; one, thelarve 
of an aquatic beetle; one a grasshopper; one, a diptera; four, nine larvae; three, 
eight aquatic beetles; five, ten other insects; and one, three hair-worms (Gordii). 
Larvae of various aquatic insects (Samuels). It is expert in catching insects 
on the wing, especially the small dragon-flies. I have found in their stomachs 
aquatic insects, caterpillars and various kinds of black spiders (Audubon). 
219. TringoIdes macularius (Linn.), Gr. SPOTTED TATTLER; SPOTTED 
SANDPIPER. Group I. Class c. 
This is a very common summer resident, frequenting the banks of streams 
and ponds, laying its eggs in dry sandy and sometimes stony places. 
Food: Of nine specimens examined, three had eaten fifteen beetles; one, two 
small dragon-flies; one, a grasshopper; and six, twenty-seven other insects; one 
had eaten eight hair-worms (Gordii); and one, three moUusks. 
Insects and worms (De Kay). 
220. Bartramia longicauda (Bechst.), Coues. BARTRAMIAN TATTLER; 
UPLAND PLOVER. Group I. Class b. 
No member of our wading birds has departed as far from ancestral customs 
in the search for food as this species. It seems to have abandoned very largely, 
if not altogether, the muddy shoi'es chexashed by its allies, and taken to the dry 
marshes and broad prairies. It is vexy abundant on the broad, dxy prairies 
of Minnesota, and is a common suxnmer resident with us. This change of habit 
introduces it into a band of workers much xnore closely related to agricultural 
interests. It is not much hunted for its flesh, and doxxbtless should not be 
ixntil it assumes a greater abundance with us than it has at present. 
Of thx’ee specimens examined, one had eaten six ants, two larvae and three 
beetles; one, four snails; and one, three gx-asshoppers. 
Beetles and other winged insects (Wilson). Grasshoppei-s (De Kay). In the 
fall, grasshoppers, crickets, grains and seeds (Samuels). Mainly insects, espe¬ 
cially grasshoppers, of which they must devour enox-mous quantities in the aggre¬ 
gate. They also feed on other small animal substances, as well as upon various 
bexTies (Coues). 
221. Tryngites rufescens (V.), Cab. BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER. 
Group I. Class c. 
Mr. Nelson speaks of it as a very rare migrant in Northern Illinois. I have 
never met with it. Dr. Hoy reports it as having been formerly quite common in 
the faU. 
222. Numenius longirostris, Wils. LONG-BILLED CURLEW. Group I. 
Class c. 
The Long-billed Curlew doubtless occurs regularly in the state as a migrant, 
but it is not common. It may still breed in the state, as it has been known to 
do so in Illinois as late as 1873. 
