6o6* SPOTTED SANDPIPER. 



lakes near the end of the forest growth In October it passes 

 southward for the winter, when it visits the Bermudas, the Antilles, 

 Central America, and South America down to the equatorial 

 portions of Brazil. The return passage is in April. 



The nest is a light structure of bents and grasses, and is usually 

 placed in meadows, by the borders of streams or ponds. The eggs, 

 4 in number, are clay-colour or pale reddish-white, blotched with 

 ash-grey and two shades of chocolate-brown, these markings being 

 decidedly darker than in eggs of our Common Sandpiper : measure- 

 ments I '3 by "95 in. The fiight is rapid, performed with quick stiff 

 beats of the wings, and the bird frequently utters its cry of peet- 

 tveet as it passes along ; while its bowings and other attitudes when 

 on shore are very comical. (D. G. Elliot.) 



The adult in spring has the upper plumage very similar to that of 

 our Common Sandpiper, but more strongly barred with dark brown, 

 while the throat, and especially the breast, are thickly spotted with 

 brownish-black ; bill greenish-olive above and yellow beneath ; legs 

 and feet yellowish flesh-colour. The sexes are alike externally. Length 

 7 in., wing 4*2. In winter the upper plumage lacks the bronze tint 

 of spring, and the under surface is nearly white, but the secondaries 

 are very distinctively barred with brown. 



