654 THE BAIRD SANDPIPER. 
When startled, a flock of, say, fifty of these Sandpipers moves off as one 
bird, wheeling and turning at precisely the same moment, and presenting in 
the early morning a pleasing alternation of flashing white, when the under- 
parts are exposed, and somber gray, when the backs appear. While on the 
wing the birds keep up a cross-fire of peculiar, wild, creaking notes; but upon 
alighting, they scatter widely in search of food and are mainly silent. They 
both glean and probe on land, or wade about busily in the grassy plashes. At 
the approach of danger the waders will often crouch low upon the ground in 
the hope of escaping observation. In the autumn, when each individual shifts 
for itself, the bird is said to lie well to a dog; and upon being flushed it moves 
off with a rapid zigzag flight much admired by the knights of the reeking tube. 
Very interesting accounts of the breeding habits of these birds in their 
Alaskan home reach us thru the pen of Mr. E. W. Nelson. According to this 
careful observer, the males are able to distend the loosened skin of the breast, 
inflating it, together with the esophagus, with air, until it becomes nearly as 
large as the rest of the body. With these absurd appendages, they run up and 
down before the females, or essay strange sallies in the air. While engaged 
in these attempts to win attention, they utter notes which are hollow and re- 
sonant, but at the same time liquid and musical, and may be represented by a 
repetition of the syllables 106-1, t06'-u, t00'-u. 
No. 262. 
BAIRD’S SANDPIPER. 
A. O. U. No. 241. Pisobia bairdii (Coues). 
Description.—Aldult in swnmer: Upperparts fuscous, with considerable 
edging of buffy and light brownish gray,—the buff mostly in lateral striping on 
top of head and hind-neck, where predominant, and as terminal edging on back, 
ete.; some whitish edging on coverts, secondaries and inner quills, but no strong 
shades or contrasts anywhere ; upper tail-coverts and tail dark fuscous, the former 
tipped with buff, and the latter edged with whitish, the outer feathers becoming 
much lighter; forehead and supra-loral streaks white; throat white; the sides of 
the head, and neck, and breast, with a heavy buffy suffusion, lightly spotted and 
streaked with brownish dusky; remaining underparts white; bill and legs black. 
In winter, the shades of the upperparts are a little more blended. /mmature: 
Similar to adult, but lighter above, light brownish gray predominating; the feath- 
ers of back and scapulars rounded, with conspicuous, white, terminal edging; the 
streaking of breast, etc., less distinct. Length 7.35 (186.7); wing 4.83 (122.7); 
tail 2.03 (51.6); bill .or (23.1); tarsus .94 (23.9). 
Recognition Marks.—‘‘Sparrow” size, but appearing larger; about the size 
of a Spotted Sandpiper; dull fuscous and buffy coloration of upperparts; buffy 
breast streaked with fuscous; upper tail-coverts not white. 
