Birds of Oregon and Washington 203 



which are lobed and somewhat webbed. Their 

 connubial habits in the North are most extra- 

 ordinary, for here seems to be a case of male 

 subjection and bird-" woman's rights," with a 

 vengeance, for, in this instance, it is the female 

 that does all the courting, and the male that 

 does all the brooding when once the eggs are 

 laid. As has been remarked in the General 

 Description, the male is smaller than the female, 

 as seems fitting in this reversal of the usual sex 

 relation. 



PARTICULAR DESCRIPTION. As in general descrip- 

 tion, and further, a white spot above and below the eye ; 

 flanks, white, streaked with black; center of wings, 

 black ; breast, white ; bill, black ; and feet, lead-color. 



THE LEAST SANDPIPER. 



GENERAL DESCRIPTION : 



Upper parts : mixture of black, brown, and buff. 

 Under parts : white ; throat and upper breast, 



duller white, with white, indistinct spots. 

 Length, 5 to 6.75 inches. 



Dr. Elliott Coues, in his " Birds of the North- 

 west," has written more charmingly than any 

 one else about this little " Peep/' which is found 

 all over our continent save in the colder and the 



