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Jan., 1912 THE SHORE BIRDS O1? SANTA BARBARA 7 cloudy days little or no "whirling" was observed. These tiny whirling dervishes spin around so fast and so continuously that when a good sized flock is in full action, it makes one fairly dizzy to watch them. In the latter part of September fully a thousand of these dainty mites were congregated on the fiats, and scores of them would weave busily back and forth among the clumps of water growth, where with a little patience, one could approach within a few feet of them. One indi- vidual was seen to indulge in quite a little play by himself, bucking up and down in the water, submerging his head, rolling upon his side, and tearing madly around in a truly ludicrous way. Steganopus tri01or. Wilson Phalarope. Rather rare but regular spring and fall migrant. Seen only in fresh water. Spring: May 20, 1911. Fall: July 22 to SelStember 8, 1910. This phalarope seems much less inclined towards swimming than either of the other two. Indeed, with few exceptions, all seen were walking Fig. 2. RED PI:IALAROPES "WI:IIRLING" about on the mud or in the shallow water. Their 10ng yellow legs, together with the fact that they kept mostly by themselves, cause the fall birds to be easily mis- taken for Western Solitary Sandpipers. Recurvirostra americana. Avocet. Regular, but not common spring and fall migrant. Spring: one bird on March 18, 1911. Two others on May 20, 1911. The March bird was in winter plumage, and remained in the same locality for nearly two weeks. The last seen were in full summer dress. Fall: one seen Sep- tember 20, 1911 (Torrey). Two seen October 12, and one November 1, 1911. Himantopus mexicanus. Black-necked Stilt. Regular, but never a common, spring migrant. Never noted in fall. Spring: April 14 to May 4, 1911. Gallinago delicata. Wilson Snipe. Regular but not common in fall, winter and sp[ing. Spring: latest, April 27, 1911. Fall: earliest, October 27, 1911. There seems to be no good reason why these birds should not be abundant here, but such never appears to be the case.