ICO SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. 



"In habits they are similar to. the White-rumped (which they so 

 closely resemble), but are more inclined to wander from the water's 

 edge. I have flushed the birds on high prairie lands, at least a mile 

 from the water" (G< 



242. Tringu minutilla I V. ///. LEAST SANDPII-KK : Mi:.u><>w ( >M:YK ; 

 PEEP. A'l. in fini/,;: r. -t'|i|it-r parts black or fuscous, edged and tipped 

 with butfy or rufous; rump und middle upper tail-coverts plain black or fus- 

 cous; central tail-feathers black or fuscous, outer ones ashy gray ; upper throat 



white ; neck and breast white- or bully, 

 streaked with fuscous; belly and sides 

 white. Im. Similar, but feathers of 

 the back with nn/ml, <1 nitons or bully 

 tip-; lrea>t not distinctly streaked. 

 \\'i/t(< r /'In mai/t . Upper parts brown- 

 ish gray. Mimctimcs with ini-re or less 

 black in tin- center* of the feathers; 

 breast white or ashy, not distinctly 

 streaked. L., 6-00; W., 3-50; Tar., 

 70 ; B., -75. 



Fio. 62 -Least Sandpiper. J{emarks.'n\\ is the smallest of 



(Natural si/.- > 



our Sandpipers, ana can be contused 



only with Kreuntttf pusilfit*, from which, however, it may always be distin- 

 guished by the absence of Webs between the bases of the toes. 



Ituniji-. Nortli America, breeding in the arctic regions and wintering from 

 the Gulf States to South America. 



Washington, uncommon T. V., May; Aug. to Oct. Long Island, abun- 

 dant T. V.. Apl. _'."> through May ; July through Sept. Sins: Sirnr. tolerably 

 common T. V., May 9 to May \L-2 ; < ii-t. 3. Cambridge, very common T. V., 

 May -jr. t.. May 31 ; July 2" to Am;. 31. 



Eggs, three to four, pale, L'rayi>h buffy. varyinar to pule brownisli, thickly 

 spot ted. speckled, or sprinkled with deep chestnut and dull, purplisu gray, 

 1-15 x -83 (Kidgw.). 



This, the smallest of our Sandpipers, is frequently associated with 

 its larger cousin the Semipalmated Sandpiper on the shores and 

 beaches, but it also visits the grassy n><>;i<lows, and for this reason is 

 known by baymen as the " Meadow Oxeyc." 



243a. Tring'a alpina. pacifica. ( Coue*}. RED-BACKED RANDPIPEU; 



LEAHIIACK. Ad. in avmrnfr. I'pper j>arts broadly margined with rufous, the 

 centers of the feathers black, wings brownish gray: breast whitish, liirhtly 

 streaked with blackish: middle of the belly with a lary? black patch, lower 

 belly white. Im. Upper parts blackish, the feathers with rounded tips ,,t 

 rufous or buffy; brt^ist washed with buffy and indistinctly streaked with 

 blackish ; belly spotted with black. Winter plumage. Upper parts brown- 

 ish gray : middle upper tail-coverts fuscous : wing-coverts brownish gray 

 r.iar;i:iel with bulFy ; throat white; breast ashy, indistinctly streaked ; belly 



