168 THE BIRDS OF MAINE 



believe, but was actually taken at GRAND MENAN, NEW 

 BRUNSWICK. 



The species is said to breed in Norway, Sweden, Finland 

 and Greenland. The nest is described as a hollow in the ground 

 near a lake or pond, and four greenish buff eggs, spotted with 

 chestnut brown, are usually laid. Their average size is 1.50 

 X 1.04 (Davie). 



Genus EREUNETES lUiger. 



246. Ereimetes pusilhs (hinn.^ . Semipalmated Sandpiper; 



Sand Oxeye; Peep. 



Plumage of summer adults : general color above fuscous with brownish 

 gray margins to the feathers ; rump brownish ; tail feathers brownish gray, 

 the inner ones darkest ; below whitish with dark streaks or spots on breast. 

 Plumage of winter adults : uniform brownish gray above with darker center- 

 ings to the feathers; below white. Immature plumage: blackish above 

 with buffy and rufous tips to the feathers ; breast buffy tinged ; otherwise 

 like adults. To be told from the closely associated Least Sandpiper by the 

 partially webbed feet. Wing 3.65 to 4.00 ; culmen 0.78 ; tarsus 0.87. 



Geog. Dist.— Eastern North America, breeding far north in Arctic regions ; 

 winters from the Gulf States to South America. 



County Records.— Androscoggin ; fairly common migrant, (Johnson). 

 Cumberland; rare near Bridgton, (Mead); common, (Brock). Hancock; 

 common along the coast in August and September, rare in May, (Knight). 

 Knox; common in fall among the islands, (Knight). Penobscot; frequent 

 in fall, associated with the Least Sandpiper along the shores, (Knight). 

 Sagadahoc; common in fall, (Spinney). Somerset; quite common migrant, 

 (Morrell). Waldo; common along the coast in August and September, 

 occasional inland, (Knight). Washington; common, (Boardman). 



These little birds occur as migrants in the fall through 

 August, September and occasionally into October, being com- 

 mon along the coast and locally not rare inland. In the 

 spring a few occur in May. 



They are unsuspicious little birds, feeding in flocks along 

 the sandy beaches, dodging the incoming waves and suddenly 

 taking flight without seeming cause, circling around and often 

 alighting at the same place they so suddenly left without seem- 

 ing good cause. Their cry is a "tweet, tweet" or "peep, peep" 



