WATER BIRDS. 219 



with flocks of the smaller species of sandpipers" (Bull. Essex Inst. VIII, 

 1876,123). 



This is strictly a shore bird, spending its time on beaches and flats con- 

 stantly wet by the waves, and probing in the sand and among the pebbles 

 for the minute forms of animal Hfe on which it mainly subsists. It nests 

 at the far north, on the ground, close to the beach, where it lays from two 

 to four light olive eggs, speckled with brown, and averaging 1.58 by 1.13 

 inches. 



TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 



Bill shorter than head, straight, stout, spike-like; toes without trace of connecting webs. 

 Adult: Entire top of head, nape and hind neck, grayish white more or less streaked with 

 brownish black; loral region, chin, and upper throat white, without streaks or spots; a black 

 patch or streak above and in front of eye, joining another below the eye, this in turn con- 

 tinuous with the black of breast and sides of neck, which forms a large breast patch and 

 almost or quite encircles the middle of the neck as a black collar; lower breast and remainder 

 of under parts pure white; back, scapulars and wing-coverts marbled or mottled with 

 black and rufous or chestnut, some of the feathers with whitish edges; rump and long 

 upper tail-coverts pure white, shorter coverts black; tail-feathers with basal half and 

 narrow tips white, the rest black; primaries brownish black, with white shafts; greater 

 wing-coverts white-tipped; bill black; legs orange-red. Young: Similar, but with little 

 or no chestnut or rufous above, and with much more buff and whitish. Sexes alike. 



Length 9 to 9.90 inches; wing about 6; culmen .80 to .90; tarsus 1. 



