262 THE GAME BIEDS AND WILD FOWL 



Allied forms. — Heteropygia acuminata, which since the first edition of the 

 present work was published has become a " British " species, and will be dealt with 

 fully in the following chapter. H. bairdi, an inhabitant of Alaska, and the valley 

 of the Mackenzie, passing through the Western United States on migration, and 

 wintering in the South American portion of the Primogsean realm, occasion- 

 ally straying even as far as South Africa. Distinguished from the Pectoral 

 Sandpiper by its black legs and feet (those of the Pectoral Sandpiper are buff) , 

 and by having the central tail feathers no longer than the outer ones. 



Habits. — During its migrations this Pectoral Sandpiper passes along the 

 coasts as well as by inland routes up the river valleys of the United States 

 during April and May. It begins to return from its Arctic breeding grounds in 

 August, and the autumn flight continues through the two following months. It 

 frequents by preference low sandy or muddy coasts, swampy meadows and salt 

 marshes, running about in a restless, active manner, tame and trustful. Like the 

 Dunlin, it is sometimes observed in large flocks and parties, and is often met with 

 solitary or in the company of other Waders. Its flight is rapid, sometimes rather 

 wavering, and when in flocks the birds often perform graceful evolutions after 

 they are flushed. The birds of a flock scatter about a good deal whilst feeding, 

 but when alarmed they soon form into a compact body in the air, and often rise 

 to a considerable height after being fired at. It is much attached to its feeding 

 grounds, resembling the Ringed Plover in this respect, and continues to haunt 

 certain spots in spite of much disturbance. The food of the Pectoral Sandpiper 

 consists of small mollusks, crustaceans, insects of various kinds, notably beetles, 

 scraps of algse, and seeds. In summer the bird doubtless eats ground fruits. The 

 call-note of this species is a single tweet, only repeated under exceptional cases 

 when the bird is alarmed or excited ; but at the breeding grounds the male often 

 indulges in short flights with the wings elevated and beaten rapidly together, the 

 throat expanded to the utmost, uttering meanwhile a guttural note which has been 

 syllabled as hoo-hoo-hoo. Before uttering these notes the bird fills the sesophagus 

 with air, thus distending the throat and breast like a Pouter-Pigeon. Adams was 

 the first observer to record this peculiarity forty years ago ; whilst much more 

 recently (in 1879) Mr. Nelson remarked the same thing of this species in Alaska. 

 The latter naturalist states that the skin of the throat and breast become flabby 

 and loose during the pairing season, the sesophagus soft and distensible. The 

 male may frequently be seen running along close to the female with this enor- 

 mous air-sac inflated, the head drawn back and the bill pointed forward ; or flitting 

 just above the ground with head upraised and tail depressed, uttering the singular 

 hollow booming notes. 



Nidification.— Nothing appears to have been known respecting the breed- 

 ing habits of the Pectoral Sandpiper until its eggs were obtained by Lieutenant 



