WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER. 81 



the year of either sex had white in that place. It is everywhere 

 abundant, and breeds on the ground. 



Of the white-rumped sandpiper I saw several immense flocks on 

 the flats near the house ; they were quite tame, and I shot a great 

 many of them. Some had the chestnut edgings of the wings very 

 broad and deep, while several of them had either the head or neck, 

 and one had both, quite ashy ; the greater part of them had very 

 little chestnut, that color being replaced by ashy ; the chestnut 

 edgings seemed to be on birds that were passing from the last 

 stage of young of the year to adult birds, but I may mistake ; 

 both varieties were in the same flock — flocks were usually of from 

 fifteen to one or two hundred in number. They would alight in 

 the mud flats, and feed, running about in the black, slimy, clay-like 

 mud or muck, running in the water nearly to the tibia and keeping 

 quite close together meanwhile ; they feed in the evening and at 

 dusk chiefly among the kelp along shore, and I rarely saw even a 

 single bird at high tide. They were very tame, and if I crouched 

 and approached them on nearly their own level, I could get very 

 close indeed. If discovered, single birds, as often small flocks, 

 would remain perfectly quiet for some time. It was very difficult to 

 see them as long as they remained still, since their color corres- 

 ponded so closely to that of the mud or kelp where they happened 

 to be. I have often at dusk had them fly from within a yard of my 

 feet when after'careful examination I had not supposed there were 

 any near me. I saw these birds associate only with Calidris 

 arenaria ; the birds did not mix, but each kept in its own separate 

 flock. An occasional Ereunetes pusillus was seen, but they were 

 rare. Sometimes a single bird would be seen flying high and swiftly 

 in the air, but generally their flight was low and irregular, their 

 note uttered as two or three faint, shrill whistles, the same as when 

 running about in search of food ; they take wing on the approach 

 of danger. Large flocks are made up of the union of a large 

 number of single families. Most of the specimens obtained at 

 this season of the year had a worn and faded look, and were not 

 nearly as plump or as well plumaged as specimens that I shot later, 

 6 



