SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. 159 



^ray markings ; central tail-feathers fuscous, outer ones brownish gray ; upper 

 throat white ; neck, breast, and kides distinctly streaked and spotted with 

 black and more or less washed with ochraeeous-bufl'. Winter plumage. — 

 " Upper parts plain brownish gray, with indistinct, narrowed, mesial streaks 

 of dusky; otherwise as in summer, but streaks on chest, etc., less distinct" 

 (Ridgw.). lin. — Similar to summer examples, but the feathers of the upper 

 parts with rounded whitish or ochraceous-buff tips ; breast less distinctly 

 streaked. L., 7-50 ; W., 4-90 ; Tar., -90 ; B., -95. 



EemarTcs. — The white upper tail-coverts distinguish this species. 



Range. — Eastern North America, breeding in the arctic regions and win- 

 tering as far south as the Falkland Islands. 



Long Island, not uncommon T. V., July 20 to Oct 10. Sing Sing, casual 

 T. v., Sept. 



Eggs.^ three to four, light olive, or olive brownish, spotted (usually rather 

 finely) with deep brown and dull, purplish gray, 1-37 x -94 (Eidgw.). 



"They frequent the sandy beach as well as the marshy shores 

 upon the coast, but inland seem to prefer the edges of pools of 

 water upon the uplands. They move in small flocks, are very social, 

 often associating with other waders, are not as a rule shy or timid, 

 and, when startled, usually fly but a short distance, drop back, and 

 run about in an unconcerned and heedless manner, picking up the 

 minute forms of life that usually abound in such places, occasionally 

 uttering a rather sliarp, piping wed, wed. Their flight is swift and 

 well sustained " (Goss). 



- 241. Tringabairdii(6'(9'Mes). Baird's Sandpiper. Ad. in summer. — 

 Upper parts fuscous ; feathers of the crown and nape margined laterally with 

 pale butfy ; back and scapulars tipped with pale huffy or brownish gray ; 

 middle upper tail-coverts fuscous, sometimes tipped with butfy : central tail- 

 feathers fuscous, margined with whitish, outer ones pale brownish gray ; throat 

 white ; breast washed with buffy and lightly spotted or streaked with fuscous ; 

 sides and belly white. Im. — Similar, but the back, scapulars, and wing-cov- 

 erts with rourided white tips. (In the winter these tips are more or less worn 

 off.) L., 7-40 ; W., 4-90 ; Tar., -90 ; B., -85. 



Remarks. — This bird most closely resembles T. fuscicollis. In any plum- 

 age it may be known from that species by the fuscous instead of white middle 

 upper tail-coverts. In summer it differs also in the absence of rufous above, 

 the less heavily spotted throat, and the white instead of spotted sides. In 

 winter the chief distinguishing marks of the two species, aside from the dif- 

 ferently colored upper tail-coverts, arc the butty breast and generally paler 

 upper parts of bairdii. 



Range. — Interior of North America, breeding in the arctic regions and 

 migrating southward to South America; rare on the Atlantic coast. 



Washington, casual, one record. Long Island, casual, Aug. 



Eggs, three to four, light, creamy buff", sometimes tinged with rusty, 

 thickly speckled and spotted with deep reddish brown or chestnut, 1"30 x -OS 

 (Ridgw.). 



