160 SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. 



"In habits they are similar to the White-rumped (which they so 

 closely resemble), but are more inclined to wander from the water's 

 edge. I have flushed the birds on high prairie lands, at least a mile 

 from the water " (Goss). 



242. Tringa minutilla Vieill. LEAST SANDPIPER; MEADOW OXEYE; 

 PEEP. Ad. in summer . Upper parts black or fuscous, edged and tipped 

 with butty or rutbus ; rump and middle upper tail-coverts plain black or fus- 

 cous ; central tail-feathers black or fuscous, outer ones ashy gray ; upper throat 



white ; neck and breast white or buffy, 

 streaked with fuscous ; belly and sides 

 white. 1m. Similar, but feathers of 

 the back with rounded rufous or butty 

 tips ; breast not distinctly streaked. 

 Winter plumage. Upper parts brown- 

 ish gray, sometimes with more or less 

 black in the centers of the feathers ; 

 breast white or ashy, not distinctly 

 streaked. L., 6-00; W., 3-50; Tar., 

 70; B., -75. 



FIG. 62 -Least Sandpiper. Remarks. This is the smallest of 



(Natural size.) 



our Sandpipers, and can be confused 



only with Ereunetes pusillus, from which, however, it may always be distin- 

 guished by the absence of webs between the bases of the toes. 



Range. North America, breeding in the arctic regions and wintering from 

 the Gulf States to South America. 



Washington, uncommon T. V., May ; Aug. to Oct. Long Island, abun- 

 dant T. V., Apl. 25 through May; July through Sept. Sing Sing, tolerably 

 common T. V., May 9 to May 22; Oct t 3. Cambridge, very common T. V., 

 May 25 to May 31 ; July 20 to Aug. 31. 



Eggs, three to four, pale, grayish buffy, varying to pale brownish, thickly 

 spotted, speckled, or sprinkled with deep chestnut and dull, purplish gray, 

 1-15 x -83 (Kidgw.). 



This, the smallest of our Sandpipers, is frequently associated with 

 its larger cousin the Semipalmated Sandpiper on the shores and 

 beache?, but it also visits the grassy meadows, and for this reason is 

 known by baymen as the " Meadow Oxeye." 



243a. Tringa alpina pacifica ( Coues). RED-BACKED SANDPIPER; 

 LEADBACK. Ad. in summer. Upper parts broadly margined with rufous, the 

 centers of the feathers black, wings brownish gray; breast whitish, lightly 

 streaked with blackish ; middle of the belly with a large black patch, lower 

 belly white. Im. Upper parts blackish, the feathers with rounded tips <>t 

 rufous or buffy; breast washed with bully and indistinctly streaked with 

 blackish; belly spotted with black. Winter plumage. Upper parts brown- 

 ish gray; middle upper tail-coverts fuscous; wing-coverts brownish gray 

 margined with butty; throat white; breast ashy, indistinctly streaked; belly 





