166 FEATHERED GAME 



THE RED-BACKED SANDPIPER. 



BLACK-BELLIED SANDPIPER. 



AMERICAN DUNLIN. 



(Pelidna alpina sakhalina.) 



Very generally scattered over North Amer- 

 ica, but mainly dwelling on the coasts. Breeds 

 in the far north. They are more common in the 

 United States during the seasons of migration 

 than at any other time, being then fairly abun- 

 dant all along the coast line. Their journey- 

 ings are performed in large flocks and in their 

 travels of the winter months they even visit 

 South America. The family has its representa- 

 tives in the Old World, so closely resembling 

 our own species that only an expert (and he not 

 always) could distinguish between them. 



In the breeding dress, the upper parts are a 

 deep reddish brown, with the central parts of 

 the feathers dusky or black. Rump and tail 

 coverts nearly black; tail feathers, wing quills, 

 (outer webs of these still darker) and coverts 

 dusky gray, the greater coverts often tipped 

 with white. Secondaries mostly white. Below, 



