206 Birds of Oregon and Washington 



This is the western species of the Semi-pal- 

 mated (that is, half-webbed) Sandpiper. In its 

 habits, it is like the Least Sandpiper, for in our 

 latitude it lives and moves in flocks, and it has 

 the same gentle, confiding ways. In appearance 

 also, it resembles the Least Sandpiper, but may 

 be distinguished by the greater prevalence of the 

 chestnut shading in this bird and by the fact 

 that the toes of the Least Sandpiper are com- 

 pletely cleft. 



PARTICULAR DESCRIPTION. Feathers of crown and 

 nape, centrally black, edged with rusty and grayish- 

 white ; sides of head, and neck, often rusty ; lores and 

 ear-marks, rusty, finely streaked with brown ; back and 

 rump, like crown, except the edging is rusty or buff, and 

 not white ; throat, sides of neck, breast, and abdomen, 

 white, thickly marked with blackish-brown. 



Transient. 



THE RED-BACKED SANDPIPER. 



GENERAL DESCRIPTION : 

 Upper parts : rufous. 

 Under parts : grayish-white, finely streaked with 



dusky. 



Length, 8.5 inches. 



Found along our shores in April and May, and from 

 August into the autumn. 



