TV/A' I'HiMY criH.KW, OR CUJlLJf W SA SDPIP ER. 



ue times gaining a considerable elevation, it circle* f>r several minutes in silence overhead, 

 living with tri-i-at \.-lo,-it\. |*-i pit.-h do\\n again nearly j*eriN-ndiculaily to the Mine 



.S|M.I it MarN-d from. 



The migration -oitthwanl occurs in August, and at uliuut the first of April it leave* for tin- 

 north. A form of this - n on Ixing Island occasionally has btvu called Cooper's Sand pi | i 

 I nlik>- mo-t >andpi|T-. it <[>- not tlock to an\ .-\ti-iu ; l-iiig oftenest seen singly 01 

 |,m - Iii tin- I in s it is mostly a bird of pannage, though a few winter in the South 



rn Mates. 



HOSM MU'ii-KK (. Trinffa fucicoUi*\ called alao the White-rumped Sand- 



j.ijH-i. inhabit* tin- eastern portion of North America, or east of the Rocky Mountains, 

 breeding in tlu> far north. It is migrators through the Kastem I'nited States, wintering 

 in tin- Smth. It is also found in Greenland, West Indie*, r.-ntral and South America. It 

 i> \ . i y abi.ndant along the entire Atlantic coast, and readily distinguished by its white upper 

 tail -coverts. 



BAIKD'S SANDPIPKR (Tringa bairdf). This bird has only lately been introduced into our 

 fauna. Specimens were found in Alaska and Arctic America, where they breed. It is found 

 in tin- interior east of tin- Korky Mountains, and has been regarded as a stranger to the 

 Atlantic coast, though one specimen has lately been found tii-r>-. Dr. Cones met with it in 

 Dakota, during August, associated with the Red-breast^! Sni|- ami Wilson's Phalarope. 



LEAST SANKI-IPI i: ^A<-t<*lronuu minutilla). This little bird is found in every part of th- 

 Anifiiciin contiin-nt. ami is sometimes noticed in Europe. It resides chiefly among the sen- 

 marshes, and feeds on th- mud-tbits at low water. It is not altogether confined to the neigh- 

 borhood of the s-a. It N abundant in the Missouri region during migration. 



The popular name Tf<l or l'<ep is applied to it in every portion of the globe where it 

 is found llesidcx U-ing gregarious among themselves, the Peeps are sociable with other shore 

 birds ; and there is not often seen a group of beach-birds that has not more or less numbers of 

 this bird. 



Dr. Cones pleasantly says of them : "Gadabouts they may be, but no scandal-mongers : 

 ubiquitous, turning up everywhere when least expected, but never looked ill upon ; bustling 

 little biisy-bo<li*. but minding their own business strictly. Besides environing a continent on 

 three sides at least and perhaps on the Arctic shores as well not a river or hike, not a creek 

 or pond, the banks of which are not populated at one season or another ; the track of their 

 tiny feet, imprinted on the sand of the sea-shore, and the soil of the inland water, shows 

 when* they have been. Their numbers swell hi no small degree the great tide of birds, that 

 ceaselessly ebbs and flows once a year, in the direction of the polar star ; they taken away, a 

 feature of the land would be lost. Altogether, they become imposing, though singly insig- 

 nificant. If we do not know just what part is given out to them in the grand play of Nature, 

 at least we may be assured they have a part that Ls faithfully and well performed." 



Wilson says : "This is the least of its tribe in this part of the world, and in its mode of 

 flight resembles the snipe more than the Sandpiper. It springs with a zig-zag, irregular flight, 

 and feeble twit. It is not entirely confined to the neighborhood of the sea. Its length is five 

 inehes and a half, and extent of wing eleven inches. The sexes are very closely alike. 



THK PIGMY CURLEW, or CURLEW SANDPIPER (Pdidna fubarguala), is so called on 

 account of the form of its beak, which )>ears some resemblance to that of the Curlew, although 

 it is much smaller and not so sharply curved. 



Mr. Thompson remarks that "as it appears on the shore it is a graceful, pretty bird, and 

 particularly interesting from presenting so pleasing a miniature of the great Curlew. I have 

 often known the Pigmy Curlew to U- killed in company with dunlins, occasionally with them 

 and ring dottrells, once with those two species and god wits, in a single instance with red- 

 shanks and knots." In some years these birds are more plentiful, and may be seen in lr 



