So8 THE WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER. 



silent. They both glean and probe on land, or wade about busily in the 

 grassy plashes. At the approach of danger, the waders will often crouch 

 low upon the ground in the hope of escaping obsejivation. During the 

 return movement in late summer and early autumn, they scatter even more 

 vv'idely, and frequently each individual shifts for himself independent of 

 his fellows. At this season it is said to lie well to a dog; and upon being 

 flushed it moves off with a rapid zigzag flight, much admired by the knights 

 of the reeking tube. 



Very interesting accounts of the breeding habits of these birds, in their 

 far northern home, reach us through the pen of Mr. E. W. Nelson. Accord- 

 ing to this careful observer the males are able to distend the loosened skin 

 of the breast, inflating it with air until it becomes nearly as large as the 

 rest of the body. With these absurd appendages " they run up and down 

 before the females, or attempt strange sallies in the air. While engaged in 

 these attempts to win attention, they utter notes which are "hollow and 

 resonant, but at the same time liquid and musical, and may be represented 

 by the syllables too-u, too-u, too-u." 



No. 233. 



WHITE-RUMPED SANDPIPER. 



A. O. U. No. 240. Actodromas fuscicollis (VieilL). 



Description. — Adult in summer: Top of head ochraceous-buff, broadly 

 streaked with black; upper tail-coverts pure white, or with a few dusky streaks; 

 rump brownish gray centrally, but showing white laterally; remaining upper 

 parts blackish centrally, but with much edging of light brownish gray and ochra- 

 ceous-rufous ; central tail-feathers blackish, lateral feathers brownish gray ; su- 

 perciliary stripe and under parts white, the fore-neck, breast, and sides finely 

 streaked with dusky and washed with ochraceous-buff. Adult in winter: Above 

 plain brownish gray, the blackish reduced to central streaks ; streaking of breast 

 less distinct. Immature : Like adult in summer, but black feathers of back with 

 rounded tips and ochraceous edge; those of lower scapulars rounded and white- 

 tipped; feathers of crown indistinctly, and the tertials sharply bordered with 

 ochraceous-rufous ; not so sharply streaked, and less heavily tinged with buffy 

 on breast. Length 7.00-8.00 (177.8-203.2) ; wing 4.95 (125.7) ; tail 2.15 (54.6) ; 

 bill .96 (24.4) ; tarsus .96 (24.4). 



Recognition Marks. — Sparrow to Chewink size ; finely streaked breast ; 

 white upper tail-coverts distinctive. 



Nesting. — Does not breed in Ohio. Nest, on the ground, lined scantily with 

 dead leaves. Bggs, 3-4, light olive, or olive-brown spotted boldly or finely with 

 deep reddish brown, chiefly about larger end. Av. size, 1.37 x .94 (34.8 x 23.9). 



