DESCRIPTIVE LIST 133 



spring of 1898, Pearson found the flocks about equally divided. A specimen was 

 taken at Raleigh on May 22, 1899. 



Nearly everything said of the habits of the Least Sandpiper applies equally to 

 this species while it is with us. May shows the height of its abundance in the 

 spring, and from August to October in the fall. Like so many of this group, the 

 Semipalmated breeds far toward the Arctic Circle. 



Fia. 95. FOOT OF SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER. 



113. Ereunetes mauri (Cafe.)- WESTERN SANDPIPER. 



This bird closely resembles the preceding, from which, in summer plumage, it differs in 

 having the upperparts conspicuously margined with rufous and the breast more heavily 

 streaked. In fall and winter plumage the differences in coloration are not so apparent, but 

 the birds are to be distinguished at any season by the size of the bill, which in the western 

 species is always longer. W.. 3.80; Tar., .80; B., .85-1.20. (Chap., Birds of E. N. A.) 



Range. Breeds in western Arctic America; winters from North Carolina to Venezuela. 



Range in North Carolina. Coastal region during the migrations and in winter. 



Bishop reports the Western Sandpiper as common in winter at Pea Island. Four 

 specimens were taken by Bruner at Beaufort, August 28-30, 1909. These are the 

 available records of its occurrence in this State. Cooke states that it is common 

 in winter from North Carolina to Florida, and it is to be presumed, therefore, that 

 the species may be found regularly along our coast from the fall to the spring 

 migration. 



Genus Calidris (Illig.) 



114. Calidris leucophaea (Pall}. SANDERLING. 



Ads. in summer. Feathers of upperparts usually with black centers bordered and some- 

 times barred with pale rufous and tipped with ashy white; wings fuscous, basal half of outer 

 web of inner primaries white; wing-coverts grayish fuscous, greater ones broadly tipped with 

 white; tail brownish gray, narrowly margined with white; throat and upper breast washed 

 with pale rufous and spotted with blackish; rest of the under parts pure white. Juv. Similar, 

 but upperparts without rufous, glossy black, the feathers sometimes bordered with white, but 

 generally with two white spots at their tips separated by the black of the central part of the 

 feather; nape grayish white, lightly streaked with blackish; underparts pure white, with 

 occasionally a few spots on the breast. Ads. and Juv. in winter. Upperparts pale brownish 

 gray, wings as in the preceding; underparts pure white. L., 8.00; W., 5.00; Tar., 1.00; B., 1.00. 

 (Chap., Birds of E. N. A.) 



