Snipe, Sandpipers, etc. 



and in its winter plumage — the only dress we see — the purplish 

 gloss on the black feathers of its back, worn in summer, is not 

 visible. Instead, it is a uniform lustrous ash on its head, neck, 

 breast, and sides. The back, which is a dingy olive brown, has 

 the feathers margined with ash. The wings are the same shade, 

 but the coverts and some of the long feathers are distinctly bor- 

 dered with white; linings of the wings and under parts are 

 white; the upper tail coverts and middle tail feathers are black- 

 ish ; the outer feathers, ashy. 



Pectoral Sandpiper 



( Tringa maciilata) 



Called also .- KRIEKER; JACK, GRASS, COW, and MEADOW 

 "SNIPE"; HAY BIRD; BROWN BIRD; SHORT NECK. 



Length — 9.00 to 9.50 inches. 



Male and Female — The blackish brown feathers of upper parts 

 heavily bordered with buff; the lower back and upper tail 

 coverts black, lightly tipped with buff. Tail pointed; the 

 shorter outer feathers brownish gray, edged with white. 

 Eyebrow white; sides of head, neck, and breast white, 

 streaked with brown or black; rest of under parts white. In 

 winter plumage the feathers of upper parts are edged with 

 chestnut, instead of buff, and the breast is washed with 

 yellow. 



Range — The whole of North and the greater part of South Amer- 

 ica; also the West Indies. Nests in the Arctic regions; 

 winters south of United States. 



Season — Migratory visitor, April, May, and from July to November. 



To all except inveterate gunners the habits of this little game 

 bird become most interesting after it has gone to the far north, 

 where most people may not observe them, and we must depend 

 upon Mr. Nelson's "Report on Natural History Collections made 

 in Alaska" for our information. On reaching the nesting 

 grounds a male becomes intensely excited in its efforts to win the 

 attention of a sweetheart. It may "frequently be seen running 

 along the ground, close to the female," he writes, "its enormous 

 sac inflated, and its head drawn back and the bill pointing direct- 

 ly forward; or, filled with springtime vigor, the bird flits, with 



