130 BIRDS OF NORTH CAROLINA 



show its presence in the State from August to November. It breeds in the far 

 north and winters from the West Indies south. 



This is a gamy little bird, and Jack Snipe shooting is not to be despised when 

 nothing larger is to be had. 



109. Pisobia fuscicollis (VieHl.). WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER. 



Ads. in summer. Upperparts black, edged with rufous; rump grayish fuscous, margined 

 with ashy; longer upper tail-coverts white, with sometimes brownish-gray markings; central 

 tail-feathers fuscous, outer ones brownish gray; upper throat white; neck, breast, and sides 

 distinctly streaked and spotted with black and more or less washed with ochraceous-buff. 

 Ads. and Juv. in winter.- " Upperparts plain brownish gray, with indistinct, narrow, mesial 

 streaks of dusky; otherwise as in summer, but streaks on chest, etc., less distinct" (Ridgw.). 

 Juv. Similar to summer examples, but the feathers of the upperparts with rounded whitish 

 or ochraceous-buff tips; breast less distinctly streaked. L., 7.50; W., 4.90; Tar., .90; B., .95. 



Remarks. The white upper tail-coverts distinguish this species. (Chap., Birds of E. N. A.) 



Range. Breeds in Arctic America; winters in southern South America. 



Range in North Carolina. Coastal region during the migrations, occasionally inland. 



PIG. 91. WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER. 



The White-rumped Sandpiper is one of the common beach-birds, usually moving 

 in small flocks, and is found on fresh-water mud-flats as well as on the beaches and 

 salt-water shore-bird haunts, though much more plentiful on the latter. Not at all 

 exclusive, it is often found associated with others of like habits, and it is by no 

 means shy. Though a swift, strong flyer, its custom when flushed is to make but 

 a short flight before again dropping to the ground, where it at once resumes its 

 search for the minute aquatic forms of animal life that go to make up its favorite 

 food. 



It has been taken twice in spring at Raleigh. Two females were collected from 

 a flock of about twenty on Lake Ellis in June of 1910 by H. H. Brimley. In both 

 specimens the ovaries showed considerable enlargement. 



This sandpiper nests as far north as the Arctic Ocean and winters southward 

 through South America to Patagonia. Its migration route is the longest known, 

 the extreme nesting and wintering localities being nine thousand miles apart. 



110. Pisobia minutilla (Vieill.'). LEAST SANDPIPER. 



Ads. in summer. Upperparts black or fuscous, edged and tipped with buffy or rufous; rump 

 and middle upper tail-coverts plain black or fuscous; 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. Juv. Similar, but leathers of the back with rounded rufous or buffy tips; 



