baied's sandpiper. 473 



Tkinga minutilla v. 



Leuwt Sandpiper. 

 Tringa loilsonii, Kirtland, Ohio Geolog. Surv., 183S, 165. — Wheaton, Ohio Agric. Rep. 



for 1860, 369 ; Reprint, 1861, 11. 

 Tringa minutilla, Wheaton, Food of Birds, etc., Ohio Agric. Rep. for 1874, 572 ; Reprint, 



1875, 12. — Langdon, Cat. Birds of Cin , 1877, 1\ ; Revised List, Joarn. Gin. Soo. 



Nat. Hist., i, 1879, 182 ; Reprint, 16 ; Summer Birds, ib., iii, 1880, 226. 



Tringa minuiilla, Vieillot, Nouv. Diet, d'llist., Nat,, xxxiv, 1819, 452, 

 Tringa jcihoni, Nuitall, Man., ii, 1834, 121. 



Upper parts in summer with each feather blackish centrally, edged with bright bay, 

 and tipped with ashy or white; in winter and in the young simply ashy ; tail feathers 

 gray with whitish edges, the central blaakish, usually with reddish edges, crown not 

 oonspicnously diflf'erent from hind neck ; chestnut edgings of scapulars usually scalloped ; 

 below white, the jagulum with dusky streaks aud an ashy or browish suffasiou; bill 

 black; legs dusky greenish. Smallest of the Sandpipers ; length, 5J-6 inches ; wing, 

 3J-3i ; tail, 2 or less ; bill, tarsus and middle toe with claw, about J. 



Habitat, North, Central and South America, aud West Indies. Accidental in Europe. 



Migrant, not common in spring, abundant in the fall. In this vicinity 

 the Least Sandpiper is of rather rare occurrence in small flocks in spring, 

 but in the fall they are more abundant than the last species. I have 

 never seen them in the winter plumage as above described. They 

 arrive a few days earlier than their Semipalmated cousins, and depart 

 for the south sooner. But they have the same habits, frequent the same 

 localities, and flocks of birds are often composed of both species. When 

 this is the case, the Semipalmated Sandpipers even if largely in the 

 minority, take the lead, as their somewhat larger size, stronger flight 

 and louder note fit them for doing. 



When not in company with other species none of ourjshore birds are 

 more confiding and unsuspecting than these, considerable flocks con- 

 tinuing their search for food almost under the feet of the observer. 



The Least Sandpiper breeds from Canada northward, and has been 

 found nesting in the vicinity of Chicago, Illinois, by Mr. E. W. Nelson. 



Tringa baiedii Coues. 



XSaird's Sandpiper. 



Tringa hairdii, Wiikaton, Food of Birds, etc., Ohio Agric. Rep., for 1874, 572; Reprint, 

 187P, 12.— Langdon, Cat. Birds of Cin., 1877, 14 ; Revised List, Journ. Cin. Soe. Nat. 

 Hist, i, 1879, 188; Reprint, 22.— Dory and Freeman, ib., iii, 1880, 104; Reprint, 5. 



Aotodromas hairdii, Cotjes, Proo. Phila. Acad., 1861, 194. 

 Tringa iairdii, Sclater, P. Z. S., 1867, 332. 



"Adult male : bill wholly black, small and slender, slightly shorter than the head, just 

 as long as the tarsus or as the middle toe and claw, slightly expanded or lancet shaped 



