ANDERSON — THE BIRDS OF IOWA. 225 



(xenus TRYN(iiTp:s Cabanis. 



114. (262). Trv/ioi/es xiibruji(v//is (Y\Q\\\.). Buff-l)reasted Sand- 



piper. 



This species appears to l)e very rare or irregular in Iowa. It 

 was listed b}- Allen (White's Geol. of Iowa, ii, 1870, 425). Kuni- 

 lien and Hollister give it as a rare migrant in Wisconsin; and it 

 has been reported from Omaha (Rev. Birds Neb., 42). 



The University museum has three specimens, in the Talbot col- 

 lection, killed at Sioux City, August 2, 1884. G. H. Berry reports 

 it as a "rare migrant; examined two birds shot at Norway, Iowa, 

 in April, 1903, on Mud Creek." 



Genus AcTiTis Boie. 



115. (263). Aiiitis jfiaiu/aria {l^mw.). Spotted Sandpiper. 

 The little Spotted Sandpiper is a common summer resident in 



all parts of the state. It may be known by its lustrous brownish- 

 gray back and spotted under parts, as well as by its habit of inces- 

 sant "teetering" or balancing fore and aft upon its legs, bob1)ing 

 the tail up and down. The species is familiar to all who have 

 spent an}' time along the banks of our streams in summer. It 

 usually nests on sand-bars in the rivers or along their banks, but 

 .sometimes away from the water. 



Dr. C. C. Smith states that he has seen the birds as early as 

 April 17 and as late as October 17; eggs as early as May 10, in 

 Winneshiek count}-. A downy young specimen in the University 

 museum was caught May 31, 1901, at Iowa City, by S. B. Matson. 



Subfamily NUMKNIN^. Curlews. 

 Genus Numenius Brisson. 



116. (264). N^iniioiius longirostris W\\s. Long-billed Curlew. 



□ The Long-billed Curlew is the largest of our species of IJtni- 

 colcr and is known by its sickle-shaped bill, four to eight inches 

 long. It was formerly a conunon summer resident in Iowa, but 

 now appears to be only a migrant, having disappeared from its 

 former summer haunts with the breaking up of the original 

 prairie .sod. 



Thomas Say mentions the arrival of the Long-billed Curlew at 

 Kngineers' Cantonment April i, 1820 (Long's I{xp., i, 266-270). 



