76 LIMICOL^E: Shore-Birds 



SPOTTED SANDPIPER 



(263. Actitis macularia) 1\ in. 



Summer: Olive-brown above, wings and back with darker 

 brown markings; white below, heavily marked with round black 

 spots, largest on chest; a while line through eye. 



Winter: A gray wash usually replaces black spots of the under 

 parts. 



Constant " teetering " is characteristic. Its flight is a quick 

 alternation of rapid wing-beats and sailing, when open wings 

 show a white stripe. 



Call: A sharp, repeated "peet-weet," or "peeter-weeter." 



LONG-BILLED CURLEW 



(264. Numenius americanus) 20-25 in. 



Bill very long (6-9 in.). Wholly light cinnamon-brown, barred 

 and mottled above with blackish; head, neck, and chest finely 

 streaked with dark brown. No strong markings of any sort. 



Immatures have shorter bills; apparently a year is required 

 to attain the full length, which varies greatly between sexes. 



HUDSONIAN CURLEW 



(265. Numenius hudsonicus) 16-18 in. 



Head strongly striped with dusky and whitish; back and wings 

 dark brown with buffy edging; light buffy below; streaked on 

 fore parts, barred on sides. 



Smaller, bill relatively much shorter, and whole bird darker 

 than the Long-billed Curlew, the only species with which it 

 might be confused. The head-markings are conspicuous, 

 particularly the white stripe over eye. 



