166 SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. 



Sandpiper, but is larger ("W., 5-75), and has the upper tail-coverts pure 

 white. 



256. Totanus solitarius ( Wils.}. SOLITARY SANDPIPER. Ad. in 

 summer. Upper parts olive-fuscous, with a slight greenish tinge, the head 

 and neck streaked and the back spotted with white ; upper tail-coverts fus- 

 cous, with fine whitish spots on their sides, the lateral ones sometimes barred ; 

 central pair of tail-feathers fuscous, the others white, barred with black 



FIG. 64. Inner view of wing of Solitary Sandpiper, showing barred axillars. 



breast streaked, and sides sometimes barred with black ; belly v/hite ; axillars 

 barred with black and white ; legs greenish fuscous. Winter plumage. Simi- 

 lar, but upper parts grayish brown ; head and neck generally unstreaked, and 

 the back only lightly spotted with bufty white ; breast streaked with brown- 

 ish gray. L., 8-40 ; W., 5-25 ; Tar., 1-20 ; B., 1-15. 



Range. Eastern North America ; breeds locally and rarely from northern 

 Illinois, western Pennsylvania, and Maine northward ; winters in South 

 America. 



Washington, common T. V., Apl. to May 25; July 25 to Nov. Long 

 Island, common T. V., May: July 15 to Oct. 1. Sing Sing, common T. V., 

 May 3 to 30 ; Aug. 27 to Oct 2. Cambridge, common T. V., May 15 to 25 ; 

 July 20 to Oct. 



Eggs, known from only one example taken by Jenness Richardson, near 

 Lake Bombazine, Vermont, May 28, 1878, and described by Dr. Brewer as 

 light drab, with small, rounded, brown markings, some quite dark, nowhere 

 confluent, and at the larger end a few faint purplish shell-marks, 1-39 x -95. 



This is a wood Sandpiper. It is rarely found on the beaches or salt 

 marshes near the sea, but frequents fresh- water ponds, or lakes and 

 woodland streams, both in the lowlands and mountains. It is gener- 

 erally observed during the migrations, and although it occasionally 

 breeds in the Middle States its skill in concealing its nest has defied 

 the search of oologists. It is a quieter, more dignified bird than the 

 Spotted Sandpiper,- and as a rule only utters its " low, whistling notes " 

 when flushed. 



258. Symphemia semipalmata (Gmel.). WILLET. Ad. in sum- 

 mer. Upper parts brownish gray, the head and neck streaked, and the back 

 barred with black, and sometimes buffy, the centers of the feathers being oc- 

 casionally wholly black ; basal half of the primaries and greater part of sec- 

 ondaries white; upper tail-coverts white with a few blackish bars; central 

 tail-feathers ashy, indisti nctly larrcd with blackish / outer ones whitish, lightly 



