166 FEATHERED GAME 
THE RED-BACKED SANDPIPER. 
BLACK-BELLIED SANDPIPER. 
AMERICAN DUNLIN. 
(Pelidna alpina sakhalina.) 
Very generally scattered over North Amer- 
ica, but mainly dwelling on the coasts. Breeds 
in the far north. They are more common in the 
United States during the seasons of migration 
than at any other time, being then fairly abun- 
dant all along the coast line. Their journey- 
ings are performed in large flocks and in their 
travels of the winter months they even visit 
South America. The family has its representa- 
tives in the Old World, so closely resembling 
our own species that only an expert (and he not 
always) could distinguish between them. 
In the breeding dress, the upper parts are a 
deep reddish brown, with the central parts of 
the feathers dusky or black. Rump and tail 
coverts nearly black; tail feathers, wing quills, 
(outer webs of these still darker) and coverts 
dusky gray, the greater coverts often tipped 
with white. Secondaries mostly white. Below, 
ki 
