SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER. 137 



the middle of May, and make a nest of withered grass, 

 early in June, laying 4 or 5 white eggs, spotted with black 

 or dusky brown. Towards autumn, it utters a chirping call, 

 and in September they retire to the southward, soon after 

 which they are seen in Massachusetts, on most of the mud- 

 dy shores, which they frequent at the recess of the tide, 

 dwelling more exclusively in the immediate vicinity of the 

 ocean than the Peep. When dispersed or alarmed they 

 give a quailing call, like 'to-weet, Ho-ioeet. At other times, 

 when startled, they utter a shrill clattering whistle, and are 

 always noisy and querulous. Like the small land birds they 

 may sometimes be seen washing themselves, with great sat- 

 isfaction, in the salt pools and plashes, and when woun- 

 ded swim with considerable vigor. While here they feed 

 upon diminutive coleoptera, very small shrimps, minute 

 shell-fish, which they probe out of the sand, some molusca, 

 and occasionally the roots of the Zostera marina ; they also 

 swallow considerable quantities of small gravel, and becom- 

 ing very fat, are nearly as well flavored as the Snipe, being 

 very superior to the other small species. 



The length of the Semipalmated Sandpiper is from 5^ to Gj^ inches ; 

 the alar extent 10 to 12. Bill black, from | to an inch long, thick 

 at the base, the ridge of the upper mandible flattened towards its 

 extremity ; the tip somewhat enlarged, and distinctly pitted, as in 

 the Snipe. Crown and body above dusky-brown, the feathers edged 

 with very pale rufous, and oJive-grey, inclining often to vdiite. 

 Front, line over the eye, and the sides of the neck grey. Tail and 

 wings nearly of an equal length when folded. Primaries dusky- 

 brown, the outermost shafted with white, the greater coverts tip- 

 ped with white, sides of the rump white. Tertiaries almost en- 

 tirely the length of the wings. Beneath wholly white, except the 

 breast and front of the neck, which is greyish and streaked with 

 a few dusky pointed spots. Legs and feet very dusky-olive. Wil- 

 son's figure represents a young bird, though I have never seen one 

 wholly white below. — Winter plumage brownish-grey ; beneath 

 white, spots on the breast fainter. 



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