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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
in the same flock as the red-tailed. On the Sumass and Chilukweyuk prairies these 
birds are very abundant (along the edges of the bush), as well as on Vancouver 
Island, and small islands adjacent to it. They remain all the winter, and begin 
nesting in May, simply digging out a hole under a projecting piece of rock, and 
laying the eggs on the bare ground; the broods average from 10 to 14. 
About pairing time and during the period when the female is setting, the male 
bird sits on an old log near by, and by rapidly fluttering its wings makes a loud 
noise aptly called drumming, he repeats it about every four or five minutes, and 
it often leads to his destruction, for the Indians guided by the noise creep stealthily 
upon him and bowl him over. 
Gallinago wilsonii, (Temm.)—B on. 
Wilson’s Snipe. This snipe appears to be scattered everywhere along the 
entire length of the Boundary line, and is also common on Vancouver Island. I have 
seldom seen them in any numbers, but a few here and there in spring and autumn 
on a wet swampy spot. They arrive in April and May, and leave again in October 
and November. Breed in all the valleys inland. I shot specimens on the island 
at Sumass and at Colville. 
Macrorhamplms scolopaceus (Say). —Lawrence. 
Bed-breasted Snipe. This snipe arrives in small flocks in April and May 
in the Colville valley, remains only a few days, going further north to breed ; returns 
again, old and young together, in August and September, frequenting the edges of 
pools and swampy places. I have compared a great number of specimens, and 
cannot satisfy myself as to a second species. 
Tringa bonaparlii. —(Sch.) 
Shot at Colville in April. A small flock frequented the edge of a pool and were 
busily employed in picking up small insects, remained only a day or two. I never 
killed or saw any on the island or mainland coast, but I have no doubt it visits the 
west side of the Cascades in its migrations. 
Tringa wilsonii .— (Nuttall). 
Least Sandpiper. Arrive in great numbers along the coast and bays of 
Vancouver Island in April and May; remains a short time and goes inland to breed. 
I saw lots of them in the Colville valley in September, young and old together; 
returning south, they remain only a few days, frequent the edges of pools and river 
banks; they breed along the banks of the small mountain streams in June and 
July. 
Gambetta flavijoes,—- (Gni.) 
Yellow Legs. Common east and west of the Cascades, arriving at Colville in 
April, and a little earlier on the coast. I believ.e it goes north to breed, returning 
again in September and October, young and old together; they remain a short time 
in the Colville valley in the spring and Autumn. 
Actiturus bartramius . —(Wils .) 
Bartram’s Sandpiper. I first observed this bird in the Colville valley, on the 
18th of June, and then had not the most remote idea what bird it was. " When I 
first spied him out he was sitting on the extreme top of a young fir tree, continually 
uttering a sharp shrill whistling cry; he was terribly shy and wary, and would not 
allow me to come within anything like gun-shot, flying off when I attempted to 
approach, and always again pitching on a tree top; whilst on the wing unceasingly 
