186 MICHIGAN^BIRD LIFE. 



Distribution. — The whole of North and South America, breeding north 

 of United States. Accidental in Europe. 



This is one of the commonest of the sandpipers and occurs regularly 

 in spring and fall in suitable places, both on the lake shores and in the 

 interior, usually in squads of 3 to 10, or more rarely in flocks of 20 to 50. 

 On the Atlantic coast flocks of 200 to 500 are not uncommon in favorite 

 feeding places, but I have never heard of its occurrence in large flocks in 

 Michigan. It passes northward in May and June, the great majority 

 during the former month, but a few remain until after the first of June, 

 sometimes even until the 10th or 15th of the month. It reappears in July, 

 always as early as the 20th, sometimes by the 10th, and is usually abundant 

 through August, while some may remain until October. 



While with us it frequents sandy and muddy shores, and particularly 

 the muddy pools in marshes, sloughs, and fields almost anywhere. The 

 temporary ponds formed by the heavy thunder showers of August are 

 commonly well patronized by this species, often accompanied by the 

 Semipalmated Sandpiper and the Grass Snipe, together with several larger 

 species. Usually it is very unsuspicious and especially when in small 

 squads will feed unconcernedly at a distance of four or five yards from the 

 observer. It eats vast numbers of minute aquatic animals, but also feeds 

 largely on insects, including injurious locusts. 



We have no reason to believe that it ever nests within our limits, and the 

 argument sometimes advanced, that it could not leave here the first week 

 in June, proceed northward to Arctic regions and rear its young and be 

 back again by the middle of July, is based on an entire misconception of 

 the facts. The great majority of the birds go northward before the first 

 of June, and doubtless those which go north first are the ones which return 

 earliest in July; on the other hand those which linger until the middle of 

 June may not return to us with their young before the last of August, which 

 allows plenty of time for nesting. It is a well known fact, moreover, that 

 not all the individuals of a species nest every season, and it is entirely 

 possible that some of those we see in midsummer are not breeding birds. 



Nevertheless Mr. E. W. Nelson found this species nesting along the 

 Calumet River in northeastern Illinois, on the 5th of June, 1875, and another 

 observer found several of them near Waukegan, Illinois, the first of July, 

 1875, and is certain that they nested in the vicinity (Bull. Essex Inst., 

 VIII, 1876, 127). 



Its usual breeding grounds are far north of the United States, where it 

 nests on the ground, laying three or four pale buffy or brownish eggs, 

 thickly spotted with brown and purplish, and averaging 1.15 by .83 inches. 



TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 



Smallest of our sandpipers, about six inches long and not heavier than an English 

 Sparrow. Upper parts mostly black, the feathers edged or streaked with buff or brown; 

 central upper tail-coverts black, unspotted; lateral upper tail-coverts white; chest and 

 part of throat white or grayish white, thickly streaked with brownish black; chin and rest 

 of under parts, including under-tail coverts, pure white. Autumn adults have the chin 

 grayish or spotted and the upper parts more rusty than in spring, while young of the year 

 have an ashy pectoral band, with tlie dark streaks more or less indistinct or wanting, 

 and many of the scapulars and interscapulars margined with pure white. Length 5 to 6.75 

 inches; wing 3.50 to 3.75; culmen .75 to .92. 



