HIPMlll 



160 



SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. 



Fig. 



62.— Least Sandpiper. 

 (Natural size.) 



" In habits they aro simihir 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 

 lio.n the water" (Goss). 



242* Trin^^ oiinutilla yieill. Least Handpiper ; Meadow O.xf.ye; 

 1'kkp. Au. in Kuiiimcr. — UiipiT j)artH black or fuscous, t'i.li,'eil uiul tijipcd 

 witli burty or rufous; rump and iiikkliu upi)or tail-covert« plalu black or fuH~ 

 court; central tuil-foathei-s black or fu.scou.s, outer ones ashy ;,'ray ; upper tliroat 



white ; neck and l>rea.st white or bully, 

 streaked with fuscous; belly and sides 

 white, /w.— Similar, but feathent of 

 the back with r««//(/(</rut'ousor buffy 

 tips ; breast not distiiutly streaked. 

 Winter plumage. — Upi>er j)arts brown- 

 ish (^ray, sometimes with more or less 

 black in the centers of the feathers ; 

 breast white or ashy, not distinctly 

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

 •70 ; B., -75. 



livyinirks. — This is the smallest of 

 our Sandpipers, and can be confused 

 only with A'reii/ittes piinilinn, from which, however, it nuiy always l)e distin- 

 gui.siied by the absence of Webs between the biuses of the toe.s. 



/Id fi'je.— North America, breeding in tlic arctic regions and wintering from 

 the (Julf States to South .\merica. 



Wiushiiigton, uncommon T. V., May; Aug. to Oct. Long Islaml, abun- 

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

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

 May 2.5 to May 31 ; -luly 20 to Aug. 3L 



AV/f/^, three to four. i>aie, grayisli l>uffy, varying to pale brownish, thickly 

 spotted, s})eckled, 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 Scmipalmated Sandpiper on the shores and 

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

 known by baymen as the " Meadow Oxeye." 



243a> Tringfa alpina paciflca ( 6^<'>t/^/('). REn-RACKEn Sandpiper; 

 Leadra(-k. A<1. in summer. — V\)]n'r parts broadly margined with rufous, the 

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

 streaked with blockish ; middle of the belly with a lanfe hhtck patch, lower 

 bolly white. Im. — Upper parts blackish, the feathers with roundctl tips of 

 rufous or !)uffy ; breiust washed with bufty and indistinctly streaked with 

 blackish ; belly spotted with black. Winter plumaije. — Upper parts bn)wn- 

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

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



