PECTORAL SANDPIPERS (Pisobia 



maculata] , better known perhaps as the ' ' Grass 

 Snipe," are one of the most abundant of 

 the sandpipers; in some localities, too, they 

 are known as "Kriekers" because of the 

 sharp notes that they utter. They breed on 

 the Arctic coast west of Hudson Bay and 

 winter in South America, migrating through 

 the interior and Atlantic coast of the United 

 States and rarely occurring on the Pacific 

 coast south of British Columbia. Their 

 plumage is a little brighter in summer than in 

 winter but shows none of the marked changes 

 like those of some of the preceding species. 

 During breeding season the skin on the 

 breast of the male becomes soft, flabby and 

 capable of considerable distension; this pouch 

 having been inflated is gradually decom- 

 pressed as the birds utter musical resonant 

 whistles. 



"Grass Snipe" frequent marsh and 

 meadow in just such places as we find Wilson 

 Snipe. Although they may be present in 

 large flocks, they have the habit of taking 

 flight one at a time and rapidly disappearing 

 in an erratic course. Quantities of them 

 find their way into the hunter's game bag, 

 although they are too small to be of much 

 account as food, being but 9 in. in length. 



UPLAND PLOVER (Bartramia longi- 

 cauda), or Bartramian Sandpipers as they 

 were formerly termed, are apparently following the course of the Eskimo 

 Curlew and are on the road to complete extinction. Only a close season 

 everywhere can prevent the calamity, and it may be too late now to save 

 them by any means. They breed from Maine, Keewatin and Alaska south 

 to Virginia, Missouri and Oregon and winter on the pampas of South 

 America. During the nesting season they are usually in the vicinity of 

 water, but at other times may be seen on hills or prairies catching insects 

 of various kinds. During migration, they are shot relentlessly; they have 

 their favorite feeding grounds known to hunters who there await them. 

 Their call is a very melodious bubbling; they come readily to an imita- 

 tion of it. They are about i foot in length. 



PECTORAL SANDPIPER 

 UPLAND PLOVER 



33 



