SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. 93 



through the summer, probably ])reeding, and in winter the birds are 

 not uuconmion on the coast prairies of Texas. They go in close 

 flocks, whether feeding among the larger waders on the shores and 

 mud flats, or wheeling and circling in air on fast buzzing wings. 

 Tliey are nervous, active little birds, always on the move and quick 

 to take alarm. Vernon Bailey. 



Subgenus Pelidna. 



243a. Tringa alpina paciflca (Coues). Red-backed Sandpiper. 



Tarsus longer than middle toe and claw ; bill long-er than tarsus, slightly 

 curved; middle of \vin<;- -with a large Avhite patch. Adults in suntiner : 

 crown, hack, and upper tail coverts bright rusty __ 



ochraceous, more or less spotted or streaked .j^^lff^?" V 



with black ; middle of belly hlack ; chest gray- '■ *^1 ^ ^^||MKP' .^ ^^ 

 isli white, thickly streaked with dusky ; sides i,- ,,,. 



and back part of l>elly white. Adults in winter : 



upper parts plain ashy gray, obscurely streaked with dusky ; chest light 

 gray, more or less streaked with dusky ; rest of under parts, sides of rump, 

 and upper tail coverts white. Young : like adults in winter but upper 

 parts spotted and streaked with black and ochraceous, and breast coarsely 

 spotted with black. Length: 7.00-8.75, wing 4.00-4.U5, bill 1.40-1.75, 

 tarsus 1.00-1.1.'). 



Disiribution. — North America and eastern Asia, breeding far north and 

 wintering in (California, the Gulf States, and southward. 



Xest. — A bed of dry grass. Eggs : '.) or 4, pale greenish to pale brown- 

 ish clay color, spotted with dull chocolate and dark brown. 



The red-backed sandjiiper is common in migrations or in winter 

 along the coasts of the United States, but is rarely se(^n in the inte- 

 rior. The breeding plumage marked by rusty back and black belly 

 is sometimes accjuired before the birds leave the United States for 

 their northern breeding grounds, but the winter plumage is the more 

 common dress uj) to the first of May. 



GENUS EREUNETES. 



General Churacters. — Toes distinctly webhed at base ; bill slightly 

 widened and Hattened at tij). 



KKY TO SI'KCIES. 



1. Bill shorter than tarsus pusillus, p. 0.!. 



r. Bill as long JUS or longer than tarsus .... OCCideiltalis. p. !M. 



246. Ereunetes pusillus (Linn.). Skmipalmatkd Sandph-kk. 



A<lnlts in summer. — Up])er parts dusky and black, streaked with gray 

 and ]r.i\() buff ; chest light gray, finely streaked ; chin, 

 belly, ;ind sides white. .Idults in winter: upjier parts 

 dull gray, oh.s(;urely streaked with dusky; under 

 j)arts white tinge<l with gr;iy across chest. Young: j.j^, m 



back spotted with l)lack. and scalloped and streaked 

 with buff and white; chest tinged with gray; rest of under parts whitish. 



