WATER BIRDS. 183 
Distribution.—The whole of North America, the West Indies, and the 
greater part of South America. Breeds in the Arctic regions. Of frequent 
occurrence in Europe. 
This is the bird most often called Jack Snipe, a name also given to Wilson’s 
Snipe. The present species, though often known under the name of Grass 
Snipe, is not entirely confined to 
grassy places, but frequents the : 
margins of muddy pools and _ is fi WS i 
occasionally found on the sandy 4 = 
shores of ponds and streams. It is 
an abundant migrant throughout the 
state, and is one of the best known <& 
of the shore birds which occur iia Yes 
regularly. Ordinarily it is seen in VORERS 
squads of six to thirty, around grassy ~ 73s 
pools in marshes or meadow lands. 
On August 19, 1897, near Lansing, 
the writer saw at least 300 Grass 
Snipe about a temporary pool in a Fig. 53. Grass Snipe. 
cornfield, associated with Yellowlegs, From Baird, Brewer and, Ridgway’s Water, Birds 
Killdeer, Solitary Sandpipers, and a of North America. (Little, Brown & Co.) 
few Wilson’s Snipe. It seems to be more abundant always in fall than in 
spring, but occasionally it appears in some numbers in May. When 
scattered about in grassy meadows it often lies close and flushes almost 
as suddenly as Wilson’s Snipe, and in the fall of the year it is considered 
good eating. 
There is no reason to suppose that it.ever nests within our limits. I+ 
passes northward usually before the first of June, and nests only in the 
far north, where it lays three or four grayish buff or olive green eggs, heavily 
blotched with vandyke brown and purplish gray, which average 1.44 by 
1.02 inches. 
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 
Top of head, back and scapulars mainly black and brown, each feather mostly black 
with a wide margin of brown or buff; neck all around, and most of throat and upper breast, 
ashy-gray, thick and rather sharply streaked with black; chin, upper throat, and abdomen 
white or buffy white; sides (under wings) somewhat streaked with brown; axillars white, 
unmarked; rump and upper tail-coverts black or brownish black. 
Autumn specimens are browner, spring specimens grayer; little or no sexual difference 
in color, but females larger than males. Length 8 to 9.50 inches; wing 5 to 5.50; culmen 
1.10 to 1.20. 
97. White-rumped Sandpiper. Pisobia fuscicollis (Vveill.). (240) 
Synonyms: Bonaparte’s Sandpiper.—Trianga fuscicollis, Vieill., 1819, Coues, 1874, 
A. O. U. Check-list, 1895.—Tringa bonapartei., Schleg., Cass., Baird.—Tringa Schinzii, 
Bonap., Nutt., Aud. 
Characterized by its moderate size (wing about five inches), and white 
upper tail-coverts, unspotted or with very few spots indeed. 
Distribution.—Eastern North America, breeding in the high north. 
In winter, the West Indies, Central and South America, south to the 
Falkland Islands. Occasional in Europe. 
This is one of our less common sandpipers, yet it doubtless occurs regularly 
during migrations, although”in™small numbers. Dr. Gibbs states that 
specimens were killed in Kalamazoo county during 1878 and 1879, by B. 
