SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC.: WESTERN WILLET 267 
had already reached the Zuni Mountains by July 24, 1905 (Hollister), and Albu¬ 
querque July 28,1908 (Bailey). Fall migration is in full swing even in southern New 
Mexico early in August, since the species was taken in the Guadalupe Mountains, 
August 9, 1901 (Bailey), and in Animas Valley, August 9, 1908 (Goldman). In 
northern New Mexico, near Koehler Junction, it was quite common on August 
20 and 25, 1913 (Kalmbach). Migrants continue abundant through the whole 
month of August and much of September and occurred from the lower parts of 
the State up to 7,500 feet at Beaver Lake, August 27, 1908 (Birdseye), and to 8,000 
feet near Ocate Crater, September 6, 1903 (Surber). At Mesilla it was noted Septem¬ 
ber 1, 1913, and at State College, September 20, 1914 (Merrill). A late migrant was 
taken near Acoma, September 26, 1906 (Bailey). The latest records for the State 
come from the valley of the Gila near the Arizona line where the species was still 
present October 12, 1908 (Goldman). 
After spending the winter in South America it passes through New Mexico again 
in the spring migration and was noted at Las Vegas on May 8,1902 (Atkins). W. W. 
Cooke. 
Nest. —In trees, in the abandoned nests of other birds. 
Food. —Grasshoppers, locusts, and many other insects. 
General Habits. —The Western Solitary Sandpiper is a quiet 
bird usually found walking about alone on grassy mud flats, wet 
meadows, or along the borders of small pools looking for food, as Mr. 
Bailey notes, “pausing now and then with head erect to make a teeter¬ 
ing bow.” When wounded, like the Spotted Sandpiper, the Solitary 
is said to dive and swim under water. In migration Mr. E. A. Preble 
has frequently seen it perch in bushes or low trees around small pools. 
In Alaska, in May, Doctor Grinnell found it on the border of ponds 
among the densest spruce woods; and in the early mornings the male 
would be seen high over the tree tops making a slow circuitous flight 
on rapidly beating wings, uttering a weak song “somewhat resembling 
the call of a Sparrow Hawk,” while the female was feeding around 
some grassy pool beneath, apparently “ unmindful of the ecstatic efforts 
of her mate” (1900, p. 26). 
WESTERN WILLET: Catoptrophorus semipalmatus inorn&tus (Brewster) 
Description. — Length: About 15-16 inches (Grinnell, Bryant, and Storer); wing 
7.9-8.3, tail 3.1-3.5, bill 23-2.7, tarsus 2.4-2.9. Bill straight , rather heavy; front 
toes webbed at base. Adults in breeding plumage: Top and sides of head blackish 
brown, streaked with whitish; back mainly black with slight bronzy sheen, mottled 
with buffy or white; body mainly gray marked with dusky, upper tail coverts and 
base of tail white, end of tail gray; wings with striking black and white pattern above and 
below; ‘“terminal third of primaries and all of primary coverts, black; basal twe-thirds 
of primaries and most of secondaries, white . . . under surfaces of primaries and 
secondaries like outer surfaces” (Grinnell, Bryant, and Storer); underparts, except 
for white belly, streaked and spotted, suffused with buffy; iris brown; bill blackish, 
gray at base; legs and feet olive gray. Adults in winter plumage: Similar to summer 
adults but upperparts, neck, breast, and sides uniform grayish brown, fading to 
white on belly. Young in juvenal plumage: Like winter adults, but upperparts and 
sides brownish with buffy and blackish feather markings; underparts white, except 
for belly, suffused with buff and finely spotted with pale brown. 
