BIRDS OR THE AUSTRALASIAN SOUTH POLAR QUADRANT. 
A serious flood on the Nenana River delayed us so that it was the end 
of June before we could move into the mountains for the summer work. 
On June 30th . . . started for Savage ... a Wandering Tattler 
was seen in the distance on lower Jennie Creek. 
The following day, July 1st, we continued up Savage River . . . 
About noon . . . suddenly called out to me, “ Is that one of your 
birds ? ” 
I turned and saw a Wandering Tattler flying away . . . We . . . 
spied the nest and eggs a short distance to the rear . . . the bird re¬ 
turned and settled on the nest. Several photographs were then taken of 
the bird on the eggs, the last one at a distance of about 10 feet or less. The 
nest and eggs -were then taken and carried to our camping ground. 
All our observations indicate that this nesting site is characteristic; that 
the Wandering Tattler prefers the gravel bars of mountain streams, as 
typified by Savage River. Those rivers are rapid and split into numerous 
channels, sometimes in an intricate network over the gravelly valley. This 
nest was found on Savage River about five miles above the mouth of Jennie 
Creek at an elevation of about 4,000 feet. It was so compact that I had no 
difficulty in picking it up and transporting it to camp. 
Chicks (two or three days old). Under-parts dull white with a faint indication of greyish on 
upper breast and lower fore-neck; upper-parts pale grey, with a very slight suggestion 
of buff on wings, rump and tail, more evident in the fresh specimens than in the skin ; 
upper-parts narrowly irregularly and indistinctly barred with blackish with dull black 
loral and postocular streaks, and with irregular black spots on hind pileum. Tarsus 
and upper part of toes dull glaucous-green, the under-surface of foot olive-yellow; bill 
dull glaucous-blue. 
Nest. Placed on a gravel bar about 30 feet from the nearest water, and was sunk in a shallow 
depression in the gravel. It was well built, unusually elaborate for a shore-bird. It was 
composed principally of fine roots carefully woven into a firm structure, including a number 
of twigs around the edges. Small bits of twigs and some dry leaves had been used for lining. 
The diameter of the nest to the edges of the finely woven body was about five inches, 
but of course some of the twigs extended much farther. 
Eggs. Clutch four, pointed ovate in form, the general coloration of which reminds one of Crow’s 
eggs. The ground colour is pale olivine to glaucous and pale glaucous, spotted with 
Vandyke brown and burnt umber, in places becoming dull black, again lightening to 
verona brown, with scattered spots of light quaker drab. The larger spots are massed 
at the larger end of the egg, in one instance grouped in a wreath. Measurements 
43‘3 to 44-5 mm. by 31-5 to 32-6 mm. 
Breeding-season. June, July. 
At least three pairs of Wandering Tattlers nested on Savage River, perhaps 
more ; that is to say, three nests, for both adults were never seen together 
and it may be that only one looked after incubation and care of the young. 
However, the adult secured with the downy young . . . was a male, 
and one would ordinarily expect the female to remain with the nest also ■ 
This is a point which was not determined. 
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