key to the water birds op^ florida. 279 



Subgenus PELIDNA Cuv. 



TRINQA ALPINA PACIFICA (Owes). 

 Red=backed Sandpiper. 



Adult ill siirniner: The feathers on the top of the head and 

 back bright rufous brown heavily blotched with black on the 

 central part of each feather ; throat whitish ; breast streaked 

 with black ; belly black on the upper part, becoming white on 

 the lower belly and crissum ; bill black. 



Adult in winter: Upper parts gray, shghtly mottled; 

 throat white: breast gray, the shafts of the feathers dark 

 brown ; belly and under tail coverts pure white; a. faint dull 

 white superciliary Hne. 

 Length, 8; Wing, 4.75 ; Tarsus, i.io; Bill, 1.65. 



RaiK^-es throughout North America, breeding far northward. It occurs 

 on the Atlantic coast during migrations. 



The eggs are huffy white, sometimes bluish white, mottled with chocolate 

 at the larger end. 



Subgenus ANCYLOCHEILUS Kaup. 

 Genus EREUNETES Illiger. 



EREUNETES PUSILLUS {Linn.). 

 Semipalmated Sandpiper. 



Ereunetes pusillus 

 (foot). 



Adult in summer: Heavily marked with dark brown 

 and tawny on the top of the head and back ; forehead 

 whitish : under parts and throat white ; breast mottled with 

 grayish ; belly white ; toes with small web. 



Adult in winter : Upper parts grayish, mottled with brown 

 on the head, and the feathers showing dark brown edged with 

 white on the back ; throat white ; breast very faintly washed 

 with gray, which is sometimes very indistinct ; belly and 

 under tail coverts white ; toes with small web. 

 Length, 6.25 ; Wing, 3.70; Tarsus, .75 ; Bill, .80. 



Ranges from Labrador southward to the West Indies, and is common on 

 the Atlantic coast during migrations. This species may be distinguished 

 from the Least Sandpiper by the partly webbed toes. 



