BREWSTER : BIRDS OF THE CAPE REGION, LO\YER CALIFORNIA. 63 



Tringa alpina pacifica (Coues). 



Red-backed San^dpiper. 



Pelidna alpina americana Belding, Proc. U. S. Xat. Mus., VI. 1883, 351 (s. of lat. 

 24° 30'). 



Mr. Belding found the Red-backed Sandpiper " very common in winter " 

 south of latitude 24° 30', in 1882-83. It has not been reported from this 

 region by any one else, and was not met with Idv Mr. Frazar. Mr. Bryant is 

 not sure that he "saw any of this species at Magdalena Bay." He states that 

 Mr. Belding " mentions it as abundant at San Quintin Bay, May 2, 18S2, but 

 rare by May 10." 



The American Red-backed Sandpiper is not known to occur south of Lower 

 California on the Pacific coast, and the greater number of individuals probably 

 winter north of San Francisco, for it is a hardy bird and quite able to endure 

 rather severe frost. Its breeding grounds lie exclusively north of the United 

 States. 



Ereunetes occidentalis Lawk. 

 Western Sandpiper. 



Ereunetes pusillus occidentalis Beldixg, Proc. U. S. Nat. ]Mus., V. 1883, 545 (Cape 



Region). 

 Ereunetes occidentalis Bryant, Proc. Calif. Acad. Sci., 2d ser., II. 1889, 272 (Cape 



Region). 



Mr. Belding gives this species without remarks in his list of birds noted be- 

 tween December 15, 1881, and May 17, 1882. Mr. Frazar found it only at San 

 Jose del Cabo, where it was abundant during the last week of August and most 

 of September, the last specimen being taken on the 30th of the latter month. 

 Mr. Bryant mentions seeing "a few in a flock of T. minutilla'" at Magdalena 

 Bay, and adds that Mr. Belding found it abundant at San Quintin Bay " May 

 2, 1882, but rare by May 10." Mr. Grinnell states that it visits the coast 

 of Los Angeles county, California, " in immense flocks during September and 

 April." 1 



The Western Sandpiper breeds in Alaska, and winters on the coast of Central 

 America. 2 



1 Pub. II. Pasadena Acad. Sci., 1898, 17. 



^ Seebohm, Geogr. Distr. Charadriidae, 1888, 404. 



