336 



K3W YORK STATE MUSEUM 



with white bases, fonning a lengthwise wing stripe which shows in flight; 

 legs and base of bill flesh color, the latter blackish toward the tip. Young: 

 Similar, btit without spots, feathers above edged with buffy white. 



Length 7-8 inches; extent 13-14; wing 3.8-4.5; tarsus .9-1.05; middle 

 toe and daw .9-1.05; bill .9-1.05; weight 2 ounces. The female is larger 

 than the male. 



Distribution and migration. This is the nearctic representative of the 

 palearctic species hypoleucos. It is found from Hudson bay and Alaska 

 to South America, wintering from South Carolina to Brazil. In New York 

 it is the most universally distributed member of the family, being common in 

 every county in the State, from the i8th or the 30th of April to the ist or 

 loth of September, rarely lingering in the southern portions till the middle of 

 October. The birds of the interior of the State evidently come by way of 

 the Mississippi valley, as they arrive from 7 to 10 daj's earlier in western 

 New York than along the coast. They nest commonly along every stream, 

 pond and lake in the State, except those lakes which are entireh- wooded 

 to the water's edge. Oiu- party in 1905 fotmd them breeding on Elk lake, 

 Boreas pond and the Flowed Land near Mt Marcy in the Adirondacks; 

 and every cotmtry boy is familiar with the tip-ups which nest near the 

 creek in his pasture, or in the edge of the meadow. The eggs are laid from 

 the 15th of May to the 20th of Jtme. 



Haunts and habits. During the nesting season the little Spotted sand- 

 piper. Tip-up, or Teeter-tail, is found in the pastures, cultivated flelds and 

 meadows, sometimes ?.t considerable distance from the water, as well as 

 along the brooks and lake shores. During the mating season, the males 

 strut about before the female swelling up the breast, in a manner somewhat 

 suggestive of the Pectoral sandpiper, until they finally burst forth into the 

 shrill pipe which is the more familiar accompaniment of their larklike flights, 

 when the}' rise several feet in the air and at the close of the song drop into 

 the meadow again. It is impossible for the Tip-up to stand or walk qtiietly, 

 it keeps teetering or tilting its tail continiially as it walks nimbly along the 

 beach or stands on some stone, log, or fence post. When driven from one spot 

 along the lake shore, or river bank, it flies out several rods over the water quite 

 close to the surface, then turns up or down the stream and proceeds some dis- 

 tance before alighting. If disturbed again, the same operation is repeated 



