THE BIRD BOOK 



256. Solitary Sandpiper. 



Helodromas solitarius soUtarius. 



Range. — Eastern North America, breeding 

 chiefly north o£ the United States boundary, 

 but apt to be found nesting in any part of its 

 range; winters soutli of the United States. 



A bird with a greenish gray back, barred 

 with white, and white below; length 8.5 inches. 



Solitary Sandpiper. 



Clay-colored. 



This species is one of the oddities among the 

 waders. They are most always met with, sing- 

 ly or in pairs, and are very rarely seen, even 

 in very small flocks. Their preference is for small ponds or streams in wet 

 woods or open meadows, rather than marshes which are frequented by other 

 species. They are occasionally seen during the nesting season, even in the 

 southern parts of their range, and they probably breed there although their 

 eggs are very rarely found. The eggs are clay-colored, spotted with brownish 

 black. Data. — SimcO Island, Kingston, Ontario, June 10, 1898. 5 eggs in a 

 shallow depression on the ground, lined with a lew grasses. 



/'- 



NEST OF SPOTTED SANDPIPEU 



154 



