184 MICHIGAN BIRD LIFE. 



F. Syke and others; he also states that it has been taken at Petoskey. Jas. 

 B. Purely states that at Plymouth, Mich., he has seen it but two or three 

 times, and then as a migrant. B. H. Swales (MS. List of Birds of S. E. Mich., 

 1904) says "I have no records. It is not rare around Lake Erie in Monroe 

 county, according to Trombley." On July 29, 1897, the writer took a 

 specimen at Chandler's Marsh, north of the Agricultural College, but it 

 was so badly mutilated and so fat that it was not preserved; subsequently 

 (Aug. 18, 1897) several specimens were seen at a pool within the city limits 

 of Lansing. Mr. P. A. Taverner of Detroit, found six specimens at a little 

 mudhole in Ecorse township, Wayne county, on June 2, 1906, and took 

 three of them (Auk, XXIII, 1906, 335). 



In its general haJjits it resembles closely the Grass Snipe, or Pectoral 

 Sandpiper, Avith which it often associates. 



About the southern end of Lake Michigan it was formerly more abundant 

 than at present. Nelson says: "Rather uncommon migrant (in northern 

 lUinois). June 9, 1876 I obtained one specimen and saw c^uite a number 

 of others upon the lake shore near Waukegan. Mr. R. P. Clark informs 

 me that he has taken it late in autumn upon the lake shore near Chicago " 

 (Bull. Essex Inst. Vol. VIII, 1876, p. 127). It has also been taken in 

 Ohio, Ontario, and Wisconsin, but seems to be nowhere abundant. 



It nests in Arctic regions in June and July, laying four eggs in a mere 

 hollow in the ground, with scarcely any lining. The eggs are reddish 

 drab, spotted with dark brown and black, and average 1.37 by .94 inches. 



TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 



Upper parts buff or brownish-gray, mottled and streaked with black, much as in the 

 preceding species, but the rump dusky and the upper tail-coverts pure white, or with a 

 few arrow-marks of dusky; chin and upper throat white; lower neck and breast, as well 

 as sides, spotted and streaked with dusky. In autumn the plumage shows more rusty 

 coloration, especially above, and immature (young of the year) birds often have white 

 or buff tips on the scapulars and interscapulars. Length 6.75 to 8 inches; wing 4.90 to 

 5; culmen .90 to 1. 



98. Baird's Sandpiper. Pisobia bairdi (Coues). (241) 



Synonyms: Actodromas bairdii, Coues, 1861, Ridgw., 1881. — Tringa bairdii, A. O. 

 U. Check-list, 1895. 



Most closely resembles the White-rumped Sandpiper, with which it was 

 confused for many years, and for which it is often mistaken even now. 

 Baird's Sandpiper has brownish-black instead of white upper tail-coverts, 

 and autumn specimens are lighter below than the White-rumped Sandpiper, 

 and have a buffy tint on the breast, but, except for the white tail-coverts, 

 very careful examination would be needed to discriminate the two species. 



Distribution. — Nearly the whole of North and South America, but 

 chiefly the interior of North and the western portions of South America, 

 south to Chili and Patagonia. Breeds in Alasks and on the Barren Grounds. 

 Rare along the Atlantic coast, and not yet recorded from the Pacific coast 

 of the United States. 



This bird, which normally inhabits the interior-region to the west of Mich- 

 igan, appears to be not uncommon in the neighborhood of the Great Lakes 

 during the migrations, although for a considerable time it was regarded 

 as one of the rarest of our sandpipers. According to B. H. Swales (MS. 

 List of Birds of S. E. Mich., 1904) the first state record was made by J. C. 



