30 BIRDS OF AEKANSAS. 



Pectoral Sandpiper. Pisobia maculata. 



This species nests in the Arctic regions and passes the winter in 

 South America. It is one of the commonest of the migrating sand- 

 pipers and should be found along the shores of the rivers, lakes, and 

 ponds of Arkansas during March, April, and May, and on its return 

 journey from the middle of July to the last of November. Apparently 

 these sandpipers have not attracted the attention of the bird students 

 of the State, for there seems to be no record of their occurrence, except 

 one which I made on May 15, 1910, at Arkansas City, when I observed 

 a pair of the birds feeding in a Uttle pool of muddy water close to the 

 Mississippi River. 



[WMte-runiped. Sandpiper. Pisobia fusdcoUis. 



This medium-sized sandpiper has frequently been taken in Missouri and probably 

 occurs regularly in Arkansas in its migrations in May and September.] 



[Baird Sandpiper. Pisobia bairdi. 



This species is a not uncommon migrant in the Mississippi Valley, passing northward 

 from early March to the middle of May and southward from August to October. It 

 doubtless occurs regularly in Arkansas.] 



Least Sandpiper. Pisobia minutilla. 



As its name indicates, this is one of the smallest of sandpipers and 

 it is also one of the commonest. Usually it occurs in flocks of a 

 dozen or more individuals which frequent shallow ponds and mud 

 flats along streams, often in company with other species of shore 

 birds. Breeding in the far north, this bird migrates south in early 

 summer and may be found in Arkansas from July to October. It 

 passes the winter chiefly south of the United States and returns 

 during May and early June. Preble saw three of these sandpipers 

 and collected one at Fort Smith September 20, 1892. 



[Semipalmated Sandpiper. Erewnetes pusillus. 



This little bird, scarcely larger than the least sandpiper, occurs commonly in migra- 

 tion with other small species of shorebirds. It passes northward in late April and 

 early May and southward from July to October, at which times it will undoubtedly be 

 found regularly in Arkansas.] 



Greater Yellowlegs. Totanus melanoleueus. 



The "big yellowlegs," or "winter yellowlegs," as it is frequently 

 called, is fairly common in the Mississippi Valley during migrations. 

 It breeds in Canada and Alaska and spends the winter from the Gulf 

 coast to southern South America. Its northward migration occurs 

 in April and May and its southward movement from July till Novem- 

 ber. Audubon speaks of it as quite abundant in spring and fall on 

 the Arkansas River,' but in recent years it has become relatively 

 scarce. One was seen at Monticello April 13, 1909, by Miss Cavaness. 



1 Birds oJ Amer., V, p. 316, 1842. 



