THE OOLOGIST 



81 



Saturdays and Sundays -from personal 

 observations. 



Stephen Van Rensselakk, Jk., 

 29 Broadway, N. Y. 



The Spotted Sandpiper. 



This species, one of tlie most inter- 

 esting birds of the family that we have 

 in the Great Lake Region, is also known 

 as the Tip-up, Teeter and Wag-tail and 

 also bears, in company with several 

 others of the smaller Sandpipers the 

 common names of Peet and Peet-weet. 

 It is well known to all collectors in the 

 localities which it inhabits, and is also 

 recognized by gunners as a fair mark 

 as a wing-shot when larger game is not 

 to be had. I can attest to the superior 

 flavor of a well cooked Tip-up, taken 

 in the autumn, but will say in favor of 

 the vivacious little bird that it should, 

 not be shot, as it is too small to be con- 

 sidered as game, and moreover is un- 

 doubtedly of value to the community 

 in which it dwells. 



The Teeter is found in suitable sec- 

 tions throughout Michigan where the 

 writer has taken notes, and evidently 

 breeds wherever it summers. It ar- 

 rives in Southern Michigan in early 

 April, and often in March in early sea- 

 sons, but the main part of the birds 

 reach us about the middle of the month 

 of showers. Remaining till October 

 and sometimes till the first week in 

 November, it becomes a familiar bird 

 spring, summer and autumn to all vis- 

 itors to its haunts. 



Partial to marshy or boggy tracts, it 

 is rarely found in sections far removed 

 from low lands, and though the nest is 

 often found in dry fields, it is never 

 found at any great distance from moist 

 quarters, and when the bird is seen in 

 spring and summer it is certain that 

 water course, lake, pond or boggy 

 ground is near at hand. No better spot 

 is desired by the Tip-up than the edges 



of a mill pond or the shores of a muddy 

 shelviog-sbored stream. It is not rare 

 to tind a pair nesting in an elevated 

 field, and where there is apparently no 

 feeding ground for them, but in these 

 cases the pair tind their food in a swale 

 hard by, or on the shores of a pond per- 

 haps fully a hundred rods away. 



Soon after arrival the birds may be 

 seen flying about in twos and threes or 

 even fours and in their actions much 

 resemble the Chimney Swifts in their 

 courting raov. ments. The Swifts tly 

 high ia air, circling about in fiuttering^ 

 flight and with noisy clatter, while the 

 Tip-ups wheel just above the field and 

 pond uttering their vehement but pleas- 

 ing notes. These notes which may be 

 called their love song, are best describ- 

 ed by the syllables "ca tweet ca tweet 

 ca f-weet." Sometimes the notes are 

 run together when the bird is very 

 much excited and are uttered almost 

 continuously for many minutes at a 

 time, but generally only three or four 

 times. The same notes are given ex- 

 citedly when the young are molested, 

 and it appeals that both old birds utter 

 the same notes Still another utter- 

 ance of alarm is an almost contin- 

 uous peet or ^wee;!, given either when on 

 the wing or running through the grass 

 or over the bogs. There is also a con- 

 versational chatter uttered on the 

 ground, which cannot be described. 



One other note, probably a call note 

 uttered when the bird is flying so far as 

 I am able to judge, and never contin- 

 uous like the last, ispe teet. This later 

 call is given every few seconds as the 

 bird circles about and is common both 

 spring and fall, wJule the notes of ex- 

 citement are heard almost entirely in 

 spring and early summer. I have care- 

 fully studied the utterances of the Spot- 

 ted Sandpipers for years, and many 

 times have thought a new note was dis- 

 covered, but have decided that the 

 above notes constitute the Sandpiper's- 

 entire series With bird songs and call 



