l8o MEMOIRS OF THE NUTTALL ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB. 



whistle on approaching other birds or on coming in to decoys, among which they 

 usually do not hesitate to alight. The young birds are more talkative than the 

 adults. As an example of the former occasional abundance of this bird, the fol- 

 lowing quotation from a paper by R. L. Newcomb^ is of interest: "Twelve 

 years ago [;'. e., in 1872] I saw two baskets, each holding half a bushel and 

 rounded full of these birds that Lewis Stone of Ipswich shot between tides, 

 down Plum Island River. I have never seen them like that since." That they 

 are still abundant is shown by the fact that on September 6th, 1903, I counted 

 at close range a flock of eighty of these birds on Ipswich Beach, and although 

 they are usually so active, one at least was very tired and sleepy. Standing at 

 the edge of the water with his head turned backwards, the bill thrust down into 

 the feathers of his back, he endeavored to sleep, but was frequently roused by 

 his more wide-awake companions. Once he stood with his legs apart at an 

 angle and rocking slightly, the picture of sleepiness. 



In the spring migration, Sanderlings hurry through in the latter part of 

 May. The plumage at this time is interesting, mainly because of the individual 

 differences in time of moult. Thus on May 20th, 1904, I saw two on the beach 

 at Ipswich, both in light winter plumage. On May 27th, out of a flock of thirty, 

 eight had no rufous on the throat, two of these being in the snowy white winter 

 plumage. Those with rufous on the throat had all degrees from a slight mot- 

 tling to a general dark tinge. Unless the light is right, these rufous throats look 

 black. On June 4th, of two on the beach, one had a pure white throat, the 

 other the rufous throat of the full nuptial plumage. Such differences as 

 these at this late date suggest that some at least of the birds do not attain 

 full nuptial plumage the first year. In the autumn migration the birds are 

 moulting into winter plumage. Early arrivals in July are sometimes very 

 ruddy on the back, throat, and breast and all stages up to the pure white throat 

 may be found at the same time. There are great individual differences and 

 red throats may sometimes be found throughout August and even in September. 

 Thus on August 4th, 1904, all stages were to be found on Ipswich Beach. Of 

 two specimens preserved, both males, one had a full ruddy throat, ruddy and 

 dark back, and the primaries unworn. The other had only a few ruddy feathers 

 in the throat, numerous scattering pearl gray feathers in the back, and the 

 primaries much worn. Others had nearly perfect winter plumage, with pearl 

 gray backs and white throats. 



After the middle of August, the young birds arrive. These are black and 

 white on the back and pure white below with the exception of a faint smoky 

 band on the upper breast. The jet black of the wings brings out the white line 



1 R. L. Newcomb : Forest and Stream, vol. 22, p. 484, 1884. 



