( 239 ) 



TRINGA SEMIPALMATA— WILSON. 



SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER, 



Semipalmatcd Sandpiper, Tringa Scmipalmata, Wils. Amcr. Orn. 

 Trmga Senfipalmatn, Bonap. Syn. 

 Semipalmaied Sandpiper, Nuit. Man. 

 Tringa Scmipalmata, Aud. Orn. Biog. 



Specific. Character — Bill rather stout, broad toward the point ; 

 along the gap about one inch ; length of tarsi seven-eighths of an 

 inch : bill and legs black ; toes half webbed. Adult with the bill 

 slender, about the length of the head — dark green, nearly ap- 

 proaching to black ; head, sides, and hind part of neck ash gray, 

 streaked with dusky ; upper parts blackish-brown, the feathers 

 edged with grayish white ; secondary coverts tipped with white ; 

 primary coverts brownish-black, as are the feathers on the rump; 

 upper tail coverts the same ; wing quills dusky, their shafts white; 

 tail feathers ash gray, the inner webs of the middle pair much 

 darker ; over the eye a white line ; lower parts white ; legs black. 

 Length six inches and a half, wing four. 



This numerous species inhabits almost every part of the North 

 American continent. In large flocks, they congregate on the 

 beaches and sand-bars, and meadows, along the sea coast, as well 

 as on the shores of the interior lakes and streams. c When feeding 

 this species scatter about in small parties ; when surprised, it runs 

 with a peculiarly rapid movement — collecting together in such close 

 bodies, that as many as twenty, and sometimes a larger number, 

 are killed at a single discharge. When closely pursued, they 

 move off in one mass, uttering a chirping note, which by imitating 

 they shortly obey. They subsist chiefly on minute animal produc- 

 tions. On dissecting it I have found in its stomach small particles 

 of sea-weed and sand. In the fall it gets very fat, and is considered 

 a delicacy. It breeds at the far North, laying four or Ave white 

 eggs, spotted and blotched with black. 



It arrives among us in spring, and remains with us, should the 

 season be open, until quite late in autumn, when it departs for its 

 winter quarters at the South. 



