' 386 SAKDEKL1NG 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of specimens from Eastern North America. Length, 10*50; stretch, 20*50; wing,G'22, tail.2'65; 

 bill, 1*35; tarsus, 1*20. Longest specimen, 1 1*00; greatest extent of wing, 31*00; longest wing, 50; tail, 2 80; bill, 1* 10, 

 tarsus, 1*40. Shortest specimen, lO'OO; smallest extent of wing, 20*00; shortest wing, 6-00; tail, 2*50; bill, 1*25; tarsus, TOO. 



II A HITS. 



In former years, the Red-breasted Sandpipers, Knots or Gray Backs, as they are more 

 commonly called, were very abundant along our borders, appearing in immense flocks, but 

 now they are far from numerous and it is rare to see more than a dozen together. These 

 handsome birds frequent the beaches and probe in the mud at low tide, then at high tide, 

 return to the long sand spits to rest. I have always found them very shy in autumn and 

 difficult to obtain. This is a maritime species, seldom, if ever, being found in the interior. 

 Audubon states that some spend the winter in Florida but I have never seen one in the State 

 nor do I think that they occur there now. In autumn, they seem to be generally distrib- 

 uted along the coast, appearing in August and remaining until late in September, but in 

 spring, they move northward very quickly, entering Massachusetts in May with the other 

 returning shore birds. At this season, they occur commonly on the South Shore but I nev- 

 er met with them north of Cape Ann, nor do I think that they are found there, at least, in 

 any numbers. 



GENUS VI. CALIDRIS. THE THREE-TOED SANDPIPERS. 



GEN. CH. Bill about as /any as head, slraiyh t and sliyhlly expanded at tip. Coracoids, exceeding in lenytli thn hciyht of 

 keel. Marginal indentations four; outer twice as deep as inner. Hnid toe, absent. 



The legs are never very long. The stomach is cuboid in form, quite muscular, and is lined with a hard rujre.st 1 mem- 

 brane. Proventriculus moderate. Intestines, large and short with the coeca quite long. Sterno-trachealis not stout aud 

 there is a slight bronchialis, but no other laryngeal muscles. Tympaniform membrane, present but there is uo os trans- 

 versale. Sexes, quite similar. There is but one species within our limits. 



CALIDEIS ABENARIA. 



Sanderling. 

 Calidris arenaria ILL., Prod.. 1811,249. 



DESCRIPTION. 



SP. CH. Form, robust. Size, large. Tongue, rather fleshy, not horny, about the same width for two thirds its ter- 

 minal length, then abruptly pointed. 



COLOR. Adult in summer. Above, dark-brown, every feather, excepting primaries, edged with white and rufous. 

 Tail, ashy, tipped with white and with middle feathers, darker. Tips of greater wing coverts and base of wing feathers, 

 white. Under parts, white, strongly tinged anteriorly with yellowish-rufous, spotted with dark-brown. 



Adult in winter. Pale ashy above, spotted with dark-brown and in patches with yellowish-rufous. Beneath, white, 

 with some spots of rufous on the anterior portions, otherwise as in the summer adult. 



Youny. Dark-brown above, spotted with white and tinged with yellow which extends to sides of breast, otherwise, 

 similar to the winter adult. Bill and 1 feet, black, iris, brown, in all stages. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Known from all others by the absence of the hind toe and general pale colors as described. Distributed, in summer, 

 throughout Arctic America; wintering from the Carulinas, southward. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of specimens from Eastern North America. Length, 8*25; stretch, 15*65; wing, 4*90; tail, 

 2*05; bill, 1*05; tarsus, -95. Longest specimen, 8*75; greatest extent of wing, 16*25; longestwing, 5'5<): tail. 2*25; bill, l'2fl; 

 tarsus, 1*10. Shortest specimen, 7'75; smallest extent of wing, 15'00; shortest wing, 4*40; tail, 1*85; bill, '90; tarsus, -80. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



Eyy*, placed on the ground in a slight depression of the soil, on a little grass, etc. They are from two to four in num- 

 ber, pyriform in shape, varying from dark ashy-yellow to greenish-brown in color, spotted and blotched with brown of va- 

 rying shades. Dimensions from * 10 x 1*35 to '45 x 1* 15. 



