136 WADING BIRDS. 



SEMTPALMATED SANDPIPER. 



(Tringa semipalmata, Wilson, vii. p. 131. pi. 63. fig. 4. [young.] 

 BoNAp. Synops. No. 246. Richardson, North. Zool. ii. p. 381. Phil. 

 Museum. No. 4023.) 



Sp. Charact. — Bill shorter than the head, straight, somewhat 

 depressed and enlarged towards the point ; rump blackish ; mid- 

 dle tail feathers longest. — Summer plumage varied with black- 

 ish, olive-grey and pale rufous ; beneath, except the breast, wliite ; 

 Winter dress, dark cinereous, beneath principally white. 



Obs. Scarcely distinguishable from T. Wilsonii, or the Peep, 

 except by the feet, bill, and greyer color of the summer plumage. 



Commonly associated with other species of the same 

 size, plumage, and habits, it is not easy to offer any remark 

 concerning it which can be considered as exclusive. It is 

 spread equally over the North American continent, from 

 the confines of the arctic circle, probably to the West Indies. 

 According to Wilson it arrives and departs with the Sander- 

 ling, and associates with the Dunlin, when in its autumnal 

 dress, in this case forming flocks apart from each other ; but 

 with the Peep they are sometimes so blended as to be unknown 

 till brought to the ground. Many, like the other species, take 

 even an interior route, towards their winter retreats, and are 

 consequently seen on the shores of the great inland lakes of 

 the St. Lawrence. Wilson saw a flock of them in Septem- 

 ber, in Burlington Bay, on Lake Champlain. In the salt 

 marshes near Boston, they are not uncommon in small num- 

 bers, but some seasons are seen whirling about wildly in 

 large and separate flocks, and so tim.orous and roving as to 

 give the alarm to the other larger birds associated around 

 them. Along the shores of New Jersey, they are numerous ; 

 and Mr. Hutchins, who described this species, without pub- 

 lishing it, as early as the year 1770, says, that they arrive at 

 Severn river, in the fur countries, in great numbers about 



