The Western Willet 
of Alberta. It seems that, after the well established fashion of its kins¬ 
man, the Green Sandpiper (Helodromas ochropus) of Europe, our Solitary 
Sandpiper deposits its eggs in the deserted nests of Passerine birds, such as 
Robins, Kingbirds, Jays, Grackles, and the like. Since the original 
discovery of Mr. Evan Thompson on June 16th, 1903, many sets have 
come to light, and the observation is fully confirmed. 
No. 248 
Western Willet 
A. O. U. No. 258a. Catoptrophorus semipalmatus inornatus (Brewster). 
Synonyms.— Semipalmated Tattler. Stone Curlew. 
Description. — Adult in summer: Above brownish gray (hair-brown), heavily 
marked with blackish and ochraceous buff, the black heaviest and streaky on crown, 
patchy and terminal on back, central and herring-bone-patterned on scapulars, etc.; 
the buffy occupying major indentations; greater wing-coverts and secondaries chiefly 
white, lightly freckled or mottled with dusky; the primaries white basally and black- 
tipped; upper tail-coverts pale buffy, very lightly barred or mottled with dusky; the 
tail light hair-brown or dusky-ochraceous, freckled with dusky; underparts palest 
ochraceous buffy, immaculate on belly, overlaid by light cinnamon on lower neck, 
breast, sides, and crissum; the throat sparsely dusky-spotted, the lower neck heavily 
dusky-streaked, the breast and sides heavily dusky-wavy-barred, the sides and under 
tail-coverts both barred and mottled with dusky; lining of wings brownish black, 
narrowly tipped with white; the axillars solid black. Bill dusky; feet and legs dark 
bluish. Adult in winter: Above nearly uniform blended ashy gray (snipe-gray); 
the sides of head, neck, and breast, and the sides heavily washed with the same color, 
and a lighter tinge across the chest; remaining underparts and the upper tail-coverts 
white or palest buffy. Immature: Like adult in winter, but feathers of back edged 
with pale ochraceous; the tail dusky-and-white barred; below tinged or faintly mottled 
with brownish gray on neck, chest, and sides; otherwise unmarked. Length about 
406.4 (16.00); wing 221 (8.70); tail 83.8 (3.30); bill 62.2 (2.45); tarsus 67.3 (2.65). 
Recognition Marks. —Crow or Curlew size; extensive white on wing (black- 
and-white) with large size distinctive; feet partially webbed. 
Nesting. — Nest: On the ground or in grass tussock, of grass and weed-stalks* 
Eggs: 4; greenish white to dark olive-buff or buffy brown, spotted boldly with various 
shades of umber brown, and with obscure violaceous shell-markings. Av. size 53.3 x 
39.4 (2.10 x 1.55). Season: May—June; one brood. 
Range of Catoptrophorus semipalmatus. —Temperate North America; south in 
winter to Brazil and Peru. 
Range of C. s. inornatus. —Western United States and adjoining Canadian 
Provinces. Breeds in suitable localities from about Latitude 56 in Alberta and Sas¬ 
katchewan south to northern California, Texas, and Louisiana; and from eastern 
Oregon to western Minnesota and northern Iowa. Winters from the Gulf States and 
California (sparingly) through Central America to western Ecuador, the Galapagos 
Islands, and Peru. 
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