ACriTURilS HAKTRAMIUS. „^. 



OBSEKVATIUNS. 

 Reaililv known l)y tho larger size, slightly curved bill, the banded inner wehsof pvimaries, and yell.iwish colors above. 

 Distrihutcil, in summer, from Pennsylvania, northward. Winters suudi of the United States. 



DIMEXSIONS. 

 Average measurements of specimens from Kastern North America. Length, 1180; stretch, aiyO; •win^,C-0-2- tail 3-25- 

 bill, r 1-2; tarsus, 1-82. Longest specimen, 12-2j; greatest extent of wing, di-OO; longest wing, O'/o; tail, 3 35; bill,' l-yO; 

 tarsus. 2011. Shortest specimen, USO; smalle--t extentof wing. -Jl-PO: shortest wing, 6-5il; tail, 320; bill, l-Oo; tarsus lfi5. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGCIS. 

 E(/(/s, placed on the ground in a depression of the soil on a little grass. They are from two to four in number, rather 

 j)yriform in shape; pale Imif in color, spotted and dotted irregularly and sparcely with yellowish-brown of varying shades. 

 Dimensions f:om r25x I To to l'35s 190. 



HABITS. 



Late in summer or early in autumn, two or three species of small locusts become veiy 

 abundant on the elevated tracts of country along the coast of Massachus(^tts; in fact, they 

 occur in such swarms, that the hills become quite brown, for nearly every green thing is de- 

 voured by these pests. There is no great evil, however, which is not productive of .some 

 good, and the sportsman has reason to bless the locusts, for Bartram's Sandpipers, or Up- 

 land Plovers, as they are more commonly known, are very fond of these insects and con- 

 sequently visit the hills in numbers, to feed upon them. Early in the morning, the clear, 

 mellow whistle of the Sandpipers can be lieard, as they fly across the intervening country, 

 to reach their feeding grounds. When coining to the hills, they generally fly up the wind 

 and alight under the brow of the elevations, where they will settle, giving a chuckling note 

 as they do so, after which they are silent, for the cry, so often given when on the wing, is 

 seldom repeated when tlie l)irds are on the ground. Bartarni's Sandpipers are now very 

 shy in ^Nlassacliusetts and it is almost impossible to approach near enougli to obtain a sliot, bv 

 walking in aii upright position, but by creeping on all fours, one can go quite near them, as 

 they do not appear to recognize a man when he is in this attitude. Their favorite resorts 

 on the hill top?, appear to be the little ravines where the grass is greenest, and where, con- 

 sequently, the locusts are, if anything, more numerous. When startled, ihe birds almost 

 always rise into the wind, uttering their note as they go. About noon, they will occasion- 

 ally leave the more elevated spots and visit the marshes, but do not remain on them long. 

 The endeavors of the sportsman to decoy these wary birds within gun shot, by imitating 

 their cries, seldom proves successful and tlie only sound tliat will attract their attention, is 

 the peculiar noise which the birds give wlien alighting. 



I found Bartram's Sandpi[)ers breeding in Pennsylvania in June, and when the nest 

 was approached, the female (piietly left it, but afterward, both birds would circle about, 

 uttering loud cries. The young are fledged by the middle of August and accompany their 

 parents. At this time, the birds are fund nf resorting to particular flehls and if driven from 

 one, will fly to another. The sportmen take advantage of this fact, and by lying behind 

 some convenient stone wall or clump of bus'.ies, intercepi t'lem as they fly from one feed- 

 ing ground to another. Bartram's Sandpipers migrate from the middle of August to the 

 middle of September in autumn, and return north in May, breeding throughout the more 

 unsettled districts of the Eastern and Middle States. 



