184 MICHIGAN BIRD LIFE. 
F. Syke and others; he also states that it has been taken at Petoskey. Jas. 
B. Purdy states that at Plymouth, Mich., he has seen it but two or three 
times, and then asa migrant. B.H.Swales (MS. List of Birds of S. E. Mich., 
1904) says ‘‘I have no records. It is not rare around Lake Erie in Monroe 
county, according to Trombley.”’ On July 29, 1897, the writer took a 
specimen at Chandler’s Marsh, north of the Agricultural College, but it 
was so badly mutilated and so fat that it was not preserved; subsequently 
(Aug. 18, 1897) several specimens were seen at a pool within the city limits 
of Lansing. Mr. P. A. Taverner of Detroit, found six specimens at a little 
mudhole in Ecorse township, Wayne county, on June 2, 1906, and took 
three of them (Auk, XXIII, 1906, 335). 
In its general habits it resembles closely the Grass Snipe, or Pectoral 
Sandpiper, with which it often associates. 
About the southern end of Lake Michigan it was formerly more abundant 
than at present. Nelson says: ‘Rather uncommon migrant (in northern 
Illinois). June 9, 1876 I obtained one specimen and saw quite a number 
of others upon the lake shore near Waukegan. Mr. R. P. Clark informs 
me that he has taken it late in autumn upon the lake shore near Chicago” 
(Bull. Essex Inst. Vol. VIII, 1876, p. 127). It has also been taken in 
Ohio, Ontario, and Wisconsin, but seems to be nowhere abundant. 
It nests in Arctic regions in June and July, laying four eggs in a mere 
hollow in the ground, with scarcely any lining. The eggs are reddish 
drab, spotted with dark brown and black, and average 1.37 by .94 inches. 
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 
Upper parts buff or brownish-gray, mottled and streaked with black, much as in the 
preceding “species, but the rump dusky and the upper tail-coverts pure white, or with a 
few arrow-marks of dusky; chin and upper throat white; lower neck and breast, as well 
as sides, spotted and streaked with dusky. In autumn the plumage shows more rusty 
coloration, especially above, and immature (young of the year) birds often have white 
or buff tips on the scapulars and interscapulars. Length 6.75 to 8 inches; wing 4.90 to 
5; culmen .90 to 1. 
98. Baird’s Sandpiper. Pisobia bairdi (Cowes). (241) 
Synonyms: Actodromas bairdii, Coues, 1861, Ridgw., 1881.—Tringa bairdii, A. O. 
U. Check-list, 1895. 
Most closely resembles the White-rumped Sandpiper, with which it was 
confused for many years, and for which it is often mistaken even. now. 
Baird’s Sandpiper has brownish-black instead of white upper tail-coverts, 
and autumn specimens are lighter below than the White-rumped Sandpiper, 
and have a buffy tint on the breast, but, except for the white tail-coverts, 
very careful examination would be needed to discriminate the two species. 
Distribution.—Nearly the whole of North and South America, but 
chiefly the interior of North and the western portions of South America, 
south to Chili and Patagonia. Breeds in Alasks and on the Barren Grounds. 
Rare along the Atlantic coast, and not yet recorded from the Pacific coast 
of the United States. 
This bird, which normally inhabits the interior region to the west of Mich- 
igan, appears to be not uncommon in the neighborhood of the Great Lakes 
during the migrations, although for a considerable time it was regarded 
as one of the rarest of our sandpipers. According to B. H. Swales (MS. 
List of Birds of 8. E. Mich., 1904) the first state record was made by J. C. 
