76 BULLETrS" 14 6^ UXITED STATES ITATIONAL MUSEUM 



are more often seen in company with upland or golden plover on 

 the rolling uplands, or with other sandpipers on the meadows. 



Wi?ife/\ — It evidently spends the winter south of Argentina, for 

 Doctor Wetmore (1926) saw the first one on September 21 in Para- 

 guay and the last one on November 13 near Buenos Aires; he did 

 not see it again until the return flight in March. Mr. Hudson (1920) 

 says: 



It begins to arrive, usually in small bodies, early in the month of October ; 

 and during the summer is seldom met with in flocks of any size on the pampas, 

 but is usually seen on the dry, open ground associating in small numbers 

 with the golden plover, the whimbrel, and other northern species. I, however, 

 thiuk it probable that it travels farther south than its fellow-migrants from 

 North America, and has its principal feecling-grounds somewhere in the interior 

 of Patagonia ; also that its northern journey takes place later than that of 

 other species. 



Doctor Wetmore (1927) says: 



The species frequented open flats or muddy shores near lakes or channels, 

 where it was subject to considerable hunting, as several of those seen had been 

 crippled by shooting. From observations at Guamini, it appeared that the 

 species has some resting station in northern Patagonia, perhaps near the 

 mouths of the Rio Colorado and the Rio Negro, or some of the large alkaline 

 lakes of that region. The small numbers remaining are preserved in some 

 such place, but apparently the species is near extinction. 



DISTEIBUTION 



Range. — North and South America. 



Breeding range. — The buff -breasted sandpiper is known to breed 

 only on the Arctic coast of northwestern North America from 

 Alaska (Cape Smythe, Point Barrow, and probably Cape Halkett) ; 

 east to Yukon (Herschell Island) ; and Mackenzie (Fort Anderson 

 and Bernard Harbor). It has been detected in summer and may 

 breed at Nulato and Fort Egbert, Alaska, and at Winter Harbor, 

 Franklin (Hennessey), while it also has been noted at this season in 

 eastern Siberia (Cape Wankarem and the south coast of the Okhotsk 

 Sea). 



'Winter rcmge. — The winter range appears to be restricted to 

 southern South America. They have been noted at this season in 

 Uruguay (Montevideo) ; and Argentina (Cordoba, Missiones, Hio 

 Parana, Buenos Aires, and Lavalle). 



Spring ^migration. — The spring migration of the buff-breasted 

 sandpiper is imperfectly known, and only a few records are available. 

 It has been detected at Guamini, Argentina, on March 8, at Paramba, 

 Ecuador, on April 22, and at Gatun, Panama, on March 29. On the 

 Atlantic coast of the United States it is practically unknown at this 

 season, old records at Frogmore, South Carolina (May 5), and Ken- 



