The Least and Semipalmated Sandpipers 271 



to the cottages of the fishing settlements. While walking along the road and 

 approaching the house where we were stopping, I saw a pair of these sandpipers 

 acting very anxious, alighting on the posts and top-wise of the fence, piping 

 their complaints. Well did I know what w^as up, and after a considerable 

 hunt found the four chicks lying close together, flat on the ground. The 

 little Sandpiper, apparently, might not be averse to civilization, if un- 

 molested. But what chance does such a brood have near houses, with the 

 prowling cats I 



The nesting season of these Sandpipers — and, for that matter, of all the 

 shore-birds — is very brief. Such small species do not take long to mature. 

 Thus, surprisingly early in the summer, often by a not late date in July, 

 they begin to straggle back to us, as though the arctic wilderness were too 

 cold and lonely to interest them for long. As far as I am familiar with the 

 shore birds, the adults seem to precede the young on the southward migra- 

 gration, leaving their guileless broods to follow as best they may. In species 

 where differences of plumage between old and young are marked, this is very 

 noticeable. The adults, for instance, of the 'Ringneck,' or Semipalmated 

 Plover, pass us mostly in August, and seldom before September do we see 

 the pale-banded youngsters. Similarly with the Golden and Black-bellied 

 Plovers. With the Sandpipers, however, the differences are not apparent. 

 But how do these unsophisticated young find their way to their unknown 

 habitat to the southward? Who, indeed, can really tell! 



These two tiny species flock more or less together, — as well 

 Migration as in company with other shore-birds, — and it is not easy to 



tell them apart. The Least lacks the partial webbing between 

 the toes, but this can hardly be observed at any distance. It is a trifle smaller 

 than the Semipalmated, and is more of a reddish brown cast of plumage, 

 while the other tends rather to gray. Also it is perhaps more fond of the marsh 

 or meadow than the Semipalmated, which favors beaches and flats. Both, 

 however, are often found on the marsh, so this sign is by no means of general 

 application. 



It is a wonderfully pretty sight to watch them scurrying away from the 

 advancing waves on the grand, gray sea-beach, or paddling nimbly about 

 on the flats or in shallow pools of the marsh. How they can make their little 

 legs go! As we w^alk along, w'e may not notice them, they are so small. Sud- 

 denly there arises a shrill twittering or lisping, and up darts the scattered 

 party of Sandpipers. Quickly they get together, and in a rather compact 

 flock are off at a rapid rate, their little wings moving so rapidly that it takes a 

 high speed of the focal-plane shutter to get them sharp on the plate. Circling 

 about, they often return to alight near their starting-point. 



Speaking of photography, the shore-birds are a hard class to catch suc- 

 cessfully with the camera, being so small, restless, and frequenting wide ex- 

 panses. Not many hunters with the camera can produce good photographs, 



