THE SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER. 659 



are in high plumage chiring the spring migrations, and tliey not infrequently 

 . return to our borders before hax'ing exchanged the nuptial dress for the prosy 

 grays of winter. This species also wanders largeh- into the interior, and stray 

 birds ma}' be picked up in almost any situation which provides water. 



In feeding, the Red-backs usually maintain close order, and in flight as 

 well, so that hostile fire is very destructive to their ranks. One shot seldom 

 suffices to teach its lesson of catition, and they are back again the next minute 

 to look after their fallen conu-ades, and to invite repeated slaughter. Suckley 

 tells of an arm}- officer of his ac(|uaintance who once tumbled ninet}--six birds 

 at a single discharge of his fowling piece. It is perhaps needless to add that 

 there ar'n't enough birds to go around at that rate. 



Suckley recorded this species as "resident thruout the _\ear." but it is 

 highly improbable that it has nested so far south within historic times. Air. 

 E. W. Nelson enjoyed unique opportunities at the mouth of the Yukon in the 

 Seventies, and he says of these birds: "Soon after the_\' arrive in sprin:;" they 

 are engaged in pairing, and the male ma}' be seen upon (|ui\ering wing flxing 

 after the female and uttering a musical, trilling note, which falls upun the 

 ear like the mellow tinkle of large water-drops falling rapidh- into a ])artlv 

 filled vessel. Imagine the sounds thus produced b}' the water run together 

 into a stead}- and rapid trill some five or ten seconds in length, and the note of 

 this .Sandpiper is represented. It is not loud, but has a rich, full tone difficult 

 to describe, but pleasant to hear among the discordant notes of the \-arious 

 water-fowl whose hoarse cries arise on all sides. As the lo\-er's suit approaches 

 its end, the handsome suitor becomes exalted, and in his moments of excite- 

 ment he rises fifteen or twentv yards, and hovering on tremulous wings ox-er 

 the object of his passion, pours forth a perfect gush of music, until he glides 

 back to earth exhausted, but ready to repeat the effort a few minutes later." 



No. 265. 



SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER. 



A. O. U. No. 246. Ereiinetes piisillus (Linn.). 



Synonj'ms. — Peep. Sand-peep. Ox-eye. 



Description. — Adult in summer: Above blackish or fuscous, with much 

 brownish gray and some whitish or pale rusty edging; darker on crown and back, 

 lighter on neck and wings ; tips of greater coverts white, rump grayish brown ; 

 upper tail-coverts and central tail-feathers dusky: remaining tail-feathers ashy 

 gray ; a white superciliary line, and a dusky line from bill to eye ; underparts white, 

 except across breast, where tinged with brownish gray, and distinctly streaked 

 with dusky brown; bill and feet dark brown. Adult in zcintcr: Above plain, 

 brownish gray, with darker shaft-streaks or central areas; below pure white. 



