130 Birds of North Carolina 



show its presence in the State from August to November. It breeds in the far 

 north and ^\'inters from the West Indies south. 



Tliis is a gamy httle bird, and Jack Snipe shooting is not to be despised when 

 nothing larger is to be had. 



109. Pisobia fuscicoUis {Vieill.). White-Rumped Sandpiper. 



Ads. in summer. — Upperparts black, edged with nifous; rump grayish fuscous, margined 

 with ashy; longer upper tuil-coverts vhitc, with sometimes browiiish-gray markings; central 

 tail-featliers fuscous, outer ones brownish gray; up|)er throat white; neck, breast, and sides 

 distinctly streaked and spotted with black and more or less washed with oclu'aceous-l)uff. 

 Ads. and Juv. in winter. — "Upperiiarts plain brownish gi'ay, with indistinct, nsirrow, mesial 

 streaks of dusky; otherwise as in summer, Ijut streaks on chest, etc., less distinct" (Ridgw.). 

 Juv. — Similar to smnmer examples, but tlie feathers of the upperparts with rounded whitish 

 or ochraceous-bulT tips: breast less distinctly streaked. L., 7.50; W., 4.90; Tar., .1)0; B., .95. 



Remarks. — The white ujiper tail-coverts distinguish this species. (Cliap., Birds of E. N. A.) 



Range. — ^Breeds in Arctic America; winters in southern Soutli America. 



Range in North Carolina. — ^Coastal region during the migrations, occasionally inland. 



Fia. !)1. WlIITE-RCMPED Saniicicee. 



The White-runiped Sandpiper is one of tlie conunon beach-lnrds, usually moving 

 in small fiocks, and is found on fresh-water mud-flats as well as on the beaches and 

 salt-water shore-bird hatnits, though much more plentiful on the latter. Not at all 

 exclusive, it is often found associated with others of like habits, and it is by no 

 means shy. Though a s\^'ift, strong flyer, its custom when flushed is to make but 

 a short flight before again dropping to the groimd, where it at once resumes its 

 search for the minute aciuatic forms of animal life that go to make up its favorite 

 food. 



It has been taken twice in spring at Ralcigii. Two females were collected from 

 a flock of about twentj^ on Lake Ellis in Jime of 1910 l)y H. H. Rrimley. In both 

 specimens the ovaries .showed considerable enlargement. 



This sandpiper nests as far north as the Arctic Ocean and winters southward 

 through South America to Patagonia. Its migration route is the longest known, 

 the extreme nesting and wintering localities being nine thousand miles apart. 



110. Pisobia minutilla iVieill.). Least Sandpiper. 



Ads. in summer. — Upperparts black or fuscous, edged and tipped with huffy or rufous; rump 

 and middle upper tail-coverts plain black or fuscous; central tail-feathers black or fuscous, outer 

 ones asliy gi-ay; upper tlu'oat white; neck and lireast white or huffy, streaked with fu.-icous; l)elly 

 and sides wliite. Juv. — Similar, but leathers of the back with rounded rufous or buffy tips; 



