186 MICHIGAN BIRD LIFE. 
Distribution.—The whole of North and South America, breeding north 
of United States. Accidental in Europe. 
This is one of the commonest of the sandpipers and occurs regularly 
in spring and fall in suitable places, both on the lake shores and in the 
interior, usually in squads of 3 to 10, or more rarely in flocks of 20 to 50. 
On the Atlantic coast flocks of 200 to 500 are not uncommon in favorite 
feeding places, but I have never heard of its occurrence in large flocks in 
Michigan. It passes northward in May and June, the great majority 
during the former month, but a few remain until after the first of June, 
sometimes even until the 10th or 15th of the month. It reappears in July, 
always as early as the 20th, sometimes by the 10th, and is usually abundant 
through August, while some may remain until October. 
While with us it frequents sandy and muddy shores, and particularly 
the muddy pools in marshes, sloughs, and fields almost anywhere. The 
temporary ponds formed by the heavy thunder showers of August are 
commonly well patronized by this species, often accompanied by the 
Semipalmated Sandpiper and the Grass Snipe, together with several larger 
species. Usually it is very unsuspicious and especially when in small 
squads will feed unconcernedly at a distance of four or five yards from the 
observer. It eats vast numbers of minute aquatic animals, but also feeds 
largely on insects, including injurious locusts. 
We have no reason to believe that it ever nests within our limits, and the 
argument sometimes advanced, that it could not leave here the first week 
in June, proceed northward to Arctic regions and rear its young and be 
back again by the middle of July, is based on an entire misconception of 
the facts. The great majority of the birds go northward before the first 
of June, and doubtless those which go north first are the ones which return 
earliest in July; on the other hand those which linger until the middle of 
June may not return to us with their young before the last of August, which 
allows plenty of time for nesting. It is a well known fact, moreover, that 
not all the individuals of a species nest every season, and it is entirely 
possible that some of those we see in midsummer are not breeding birds. 
Nevertheless Mr. E. W. Nelson found this species nesting along the 
Calumet River in northeastern Illinois, on the 5th of June, 1875, and another 
observer found several of them near Waukegan, Illinois, the first of July, 
1875, and is certain that they nested in the vicinity (Bull. Essex Inst., 
VIII, 1876, 127). 
Its usual breeding grounds are far north of the United States, where it 
nests on the ground, laying three or four pale buffy or brownish eggs, 
thickly spotted with brown and purplish, and averaging 1.15 by .83 inches. 
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 
Smallest of our sandpipers, about six inches long and not heavier than an English 
Sparrow. Upper parts mostly black, the feathers edged or streaked with buff or brown; 
central upper tail-coverts black, unspotted; lateral upper tail-coverts white; chest and 
part of throat white or grayish white, thickly streaked with brownish black; chin and rest 
of under parts, including under-tail coverts, pure white. Autumn adults have the chin 
grayish or spotted and the upper parts more rusty than in spring, while young of the year 
have an ashy pectoral band, with the dark streaks more or less indistinct or wanting, 
and many of the scapulars and interscapulars margined with pure white. Length 5 to 6.75 
inches; wing 3.50 to 3.75; culmen .75 to .92. 
