GASES TRAP BIRDS AT LONGMIRE

The springs at Longmire are widely scattered over the bottom of a small valley and have, with the help of beavers in the past, created swamps. These swamps and ponds were breeding grounds of mosquitoes. To rid the settlement at Longmire of these mosquitoes, ditches were dug to drain off the surplus water. All through the bottom of the valley are bubbling gaseous springs that pour out their vapors into these ditches and accumulate there, being heavier than air. These gases have never been analysed but are probably a combination of hydrogen sulphide and carbonic gases. The former is much in evidence by its odor. Luckless birds in search of food follow up these ditches and are overcome by these gases. Sparrows are the most common victims, but other swamp birds are sometimes found.

LEAST SANDPIPER AT LONGMIRE
(Pisobia minutilla)

A few days ago a tourist brought into the Naturalist's office at Longmire a sandpiper that he had picked up from one of the ditches described in the preceeding article.

This sandpiper was much smaller than the Western Solitary Sandpiper or the Spotted Sandpiper, both of which are fairly common in the park.

Upon close examination this specimen was found to be the Least Sandpiper, a species of sandpiper never reported from the park before. The Least Sandpiper is not easily separated from its Western Sandpiper or the Semipalmated but slightly smaller than either. The unwebbed toes and ochre-yellow legs best distinguish it from either.

The Least Sandpiper is one of the most numerous of shore birds. It is found on sandy beaches and open mud flats often in association with flocks of other species along our coast.

The smaller sandpipers are often called Peeps, and although shore birds, often migrate through the interior as well as along the coast.