THE STILT SANDPIPER. 503 
tions. Altho like the preceding species in most of its ways, it is said to 
preter brackish lagoons and the margins of streams rather than the tide 
flats frequented by the other birds. It secures its food by wading about in 
water as deep as its long legs and bill will permit, probing the bottom indus- 
triously. Perhaps it is through the more diligent practice of this habit that 
the western bird has gradually acquired its longer bill. 
No. 229. 
Us SPL SANDPIPER: 
v A. O. U. No. 233. Micropalama himantopus (Bonap.). 
Description.—Adult in summer: Upper parts blackish with considerable 
buffy, or tawny, and white edging; a blackish line from bill to eye; auriculars 
rufous,—the color continued indistinctly around back of head; top of head dusky 
streaked with whitish; the remainder of head and neck dull white, dusky-streaked ; 
wing-coverts and secondaries grayish, the latter edged with white; primaries 
fuscous; rump ashy; upper tail-coverts white, barred and striped with dusky; 
under parts whitish, streaked with dusky and ochraceous on fore breast, elsewhere 
dusky-barred; bill and feet greenish black. Adult in winter: Above brownish 
gray with traces of black and tawny mottling, or not, the feathers more or less 
edged with whitish; upper tail-coverts white; the tail white, the feathers bordered 
with brownish gray; under parts white shaded with grayish, and more or less 
dusky-streaked on sides of neck, throat, and sides; legs and feet greenish yellow. 
Immature: Similar to adult in winter but blackish above, and with edgings of 
ochraceous-buff ; breast and sides more or less buffy-tinged. Length 7.50-9.00 
(190.5-228.6) ; wing 5.15 (130.8); bill 1.65 (41.9); tarsus 1.62 (41.2). 
Recognition Marks.—Chewink size; bill with flattened punctate tip; com- 
paratively long legs. 
Nesting.—Does not breed in Ohio. Nest, a depression in the ground lined 
with dead leaves and grasses. Eggs, 3 or 4, grayish buff or light drab, boldly 
spotted and marked with reddish brown and purplish gray. Av. size, 1.44 x 1.00 
(AO xe BED). 
General Range.—E astern North America, breeding north of the United 
States, and migrating in winter to Bermuda, West Indies, and Central and South 
America. 
Range in Ohio.—Several “light” records——enough perhaps to constitute a 
valid claim. 
SINCE it passes rapidly through the United States on the way to and 
from the Arctic regions, comparatively little is known of this rare Sand- 
piper. When found, it is often associated with other species, especially 
