188 BULLETIN 142, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



and serves to distinguish it readily in the field. To me it sounds like 

 tzeep or tzip; Mr. Nichols calls it " a squeaky mouse-like jeet "; Mr. 

 Brewster (1925) describes it as " a feeble lisping zip or tsip, fringil- 

 line, rather than limicoline, in character " ; and Doctor Townsend 

 (1905) thinks that "it suggests at times the call note of the pipit." 

 C. J. Maynard (1896) refers to "one cry in particular, being loudly 

 given and greatly prolonged, resembling the scream of a rapacious 

 bird more than the whistle of a sandpiper." 



Field marks. — The best field mark for this species is the white 

 rump, or rather upper tail-coverts ; this is conspicuous in flight but 

 is usually concealed by the wings when the bird is on the ground. I 

 have noticed that, while the bird is standing with its side toward me, 

 the gray of the upper parts extend clown on the sides of the neck as 

 far as the bend of the wing, whereas in the semipalmated sandpiper, 

 with which it might be confused, there is a decided white space in 

 front of the wing. 



Mr. Nichols says in his notes: 



This bird is a size larger than least or semipalmated sandpipers, and at 

 favorable angles shows a diagnostic white patch crossing above the rather 

 dark tail. This white patch is a good example of color which apparently 

 functions as a recognition mark. If the same were fortuitous one would not 

 expect the tail to be darker than in related species, as is the case, causing the 

 white rump to show more prominently. Straight bill, (or with slight decurvi- 

 ture at the tip, like that of the pectoral sandpiper) and as a rule finely and 

 sharply streaked head and breast prevent chance of confusion with the Euro- 

 pean curlew sandpiper, of casual occurrence on our Atlantic coast. 



Fall. — The beginning of the fall flight is apparently southeast- 

 ward from its breeding grounds west of Hudson Bay and perhaps 

 southward from Baffin Island, where it breeds. Mr. Turner's Un- 

 gava notes give a very good idea of this first step in the migration 

 and a good impression of the great abundance of this species; he 

 writes : 



As I proceeded farther northward I did not observe a single one of these 

 sandpipers until we came to anchor off the mouth of Georges River (July 31) 

 where quite a number were seen on the pebbly beach, seeking their food among 

 the rocks and shingle as the tide receded. At this date quite a number, in fact 

 fully three-fourths, of those seen were birds of the year as was fully attested 

 by traces of downy plumage yet among the feathers of the body and especially 

 on the head and neck. The sizes of the flocks varied from three or four to 

 nearly a dozen, doubtless consisting of a single brood or, in the case of the 

 larger flocks, of two or more broods with their parents. Some of the younger 

 members of the flocks had the wing quills not. fully developed while others were 

 considerably farther advanced. Such a variation of plumage both in age and 

 coloration was exhibited that I presumed there must be two weeks difference 

 in the ages of the different young. 



By the 10th of August all the young are well able to fly and make pro- 

 tracted flights in search of food. By this date they assemble in flocks, amount- 



