286 GAME BIRDS, WILD-FOWL AND SHORE BIRDS. 



SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER {Ereunetes pusillus). 

 Common or local names: Peep; Sand-peep; Black-legged Peep; Sand Oxeye. 



Length. — 6.30 inches; bill of male, .66 to .75; female, .80 to .92. Foot with 



two evident webs. 

 Adult in Spring. — Above variegated with black, pale bay and ashy or 



white; a dark line through eye and a white line above it; below white; 



breast usually rufescent and speckled with black; rest of lower parts 



white; legs and feet black. 

 Adult in Fall. — Upper parts grayer; breast with specks faint or obsolete. 

 Young. — Upper parts mostly ashy gray; under parts white; a slight 



dusky wash across the unspotted breast; legs and feet greenish black. 

 Field Maries. — Distinguished from the Least Sandpiper in autumn by its 



black legs and unspotted breast. 

 Notes. — A quailing call, like 'to-wect, 'to-ioect; a shrill clattering whistle 



(Nuttall). 

 Season. — Common migrant early May to mid June; early July to October. 



Non-breeding birds occur in summer. 

 Range. — North and South America. Breeds from Arctic coast of North 



America south to Yukon mouth and to southern Ungava; winters 



from Texas and South Carolina through the West Indies and Central 



America to Patagonia; migrates mainly east of Rocky Mountains; 



casual in British Columbia, Pribilof Islands and northeastern Siberia; 



accidental in Europe. 



History. 

 The Semipalmated Sandpiper was one of the smaller species, 

 the great abundance of which is described by the earlier writers 

 in the days when twelve score were taken "at one shoot." 

 Authors give some of its history as follows: Sometimes seen 

 near Boston in large flocks (Nuttall, 1834). Exceedingly 

 abundant in winter, spring and autumn from Florida to Maine 

 (Audubon, 1838). Appears here in ]\Iay, and many remain 

 with us during the whole summer and late in autumn (De Kay, 



