BIRDS OF MINNESOTA. 129 
four weeks, that I strongly suspect that while they principally 
go farther north to breed, some remain to do so with us. 
For evident reasons already mentioned, if such is the case, 
there is little occasion for surprise that the nests have not been 
discovered. Their constant note, repeated in a subdued tone, 
tweet, tweet, is similar to that of the other species. Indeed, all 
their habits are indistinguishable, and I am compelled to have 
the bird in my hands to identify it with any feeling of certainty. 
SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 
Bill about the length of the head, rather thicker than usual 
in this group; both mandibles somewhat expanded and flattened 
at the tip, and minutely punctulated as in the genera Scolopax 
and Gallinago; wings, long; legs, moderate, rather slender; 
toes united at the base by a membrane which is large, between 
the outer and middle toes, extending to the first joint; hind toe 
small; tail, short, with the middle feathers longest; outer 
feathers frequently longer than the third, presenting a doubly 
emarginate character to the tail; under coverts nearly as long 
as the tail; upper parts, light brownish-ashy, with lanceolate 
or ovate spots of brownish-black in the middle of the feathers; 
rump and upper tail coverts, black; front, band of the eye, and 
entire under parts, ashy-white, with small spots on the breast 
of ashy-brown; quills, brownish-black, lighter on their inner 
webs, and with their shafts white; middle feathers of the tail, 
brownish-black; outer feathers, pale brownish-ashy; under 
wing coverts and axillaries, white; bill, greenish-black; feet 
dark, the lower parts of the tarsus and toes, frequently tinged 
with yellow; upper part in summer, mixed with light reddish; 
iris, brown. 
Length, 6.50; wing, 3.75; tail, 1.75; bill from gape, 0.75; 
tarsus, 0.75 to 1. 
Habitat, Eastern Province of North America. 
CALIDRIS ARENARIA (L.). (248.) ' 
SANDERLING. 
The Sanderling has long been a common bird on the sea 
coasts, and I had not expected to be permitted to list it in Min- 
nesota, when Mr. W. L. Tiffany (then a resident of this city 
and enthusiastically interested in birds) brought me an adult 
male in the spring of 1875. Since then I have found it a rather 
regular visitor in both migrations, but some years I am confi- 
dent that they fail to appear, or in one of the migrations at 
least. 
‘They are never numerous, but come to us about the middle 
of April in company with the Sandpipers and Snipes. It is 
usual to find them mating to some extent while here, but they 
