BIRDS OF NEW YORK 315 



This palearctic subspecies is of accidental occurrence in Greenland, 

 Hudson bay, Washington, D. C, and Long Island. The single specimen 

 from this State was taken on Shinnecock bay, L. I., September 15, 1892, 

 and identified by Mr F. M. Chapman [see Yoimg, Auk, 10:78]. 



Pelidna alpina sakhalina (Vieillot) 

 Red-backed Sandpiper 



Plates 33, 34 



Pelidna pacifica Coues. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. Proc. 1861. p. 189 

 Tringa cinclus DeKay. Zool. N. Y. 1844. pt 2, p. 240, fig. 192 

 Tringa alpina pacifica A. O. U. Check List. 1895. No. 152 



Description. Bill slightly decurved toward the end, depressed, with 

 slightly widened and sensitive tip; tarsus longer than middle toe and claw. 

 Summer: Above, bright rusty or tawny, streaked or spotted with blackish; 

 belly covered with a large patch of black, remainder of under parts white or 

 grayish white, slightly marked on the breast and sides with dusky; tail 

 and wings ashy gray ; primaries dusky with light shafts ; greater wing coverts 

 tipped with white; bill and feet blackish. Winter: Plain brownish gray 

 above and white below varied on the breast and sides with grayish. Young: 

 Similar, but edged with rusty above, and streaked with dusky below. 



Length 8-9.25 inches; wing 4.5-5; tail 2-2.35; ^^ill i-5~i-75i tarsus 

 and middle toe 2. 



Distribution and migration. This subspecies breeds in arctic America 

 and winters from the gulf coast to South America. It is a common migrant 

 on the salt marshes, beaches and mud flats of our coast, but is much more 

 common in the fall. It arrives in the spring from the ist to the 15th of 

 April, and departs for the north from the 20th of May to the 6th of June. 

 In the fall it arrives much later than our other common shore birds, usually 

 appearing from the ist to the 20th of September, is common during the first 

 two weeks of October, and usually departs for the south from the 20th of 

 October to the 15th of November, but is sometimes observed on the tide- 

 washed flats throughout the winter. In the interior of New York it is also 

 common in the fall along the Great Lakes and the marshes of the central 

 lake country, appearing from the 20th of September to the loth of October, 

 sometimes arriving in great flocks with the flrst cold weather in October, 

 and is often taken as late as the middle of November. In the spring it is 

 a rare bird in western New York, but is sometimes observed between April 

 20th and May 25th. 



