278 GAME BIRDS, WILD-FOWL AND SHORE BIRDS. 



LEAST SANDPIPER {Pisobia minutilla). 

 Common or local names : Peep ; Mud-peep. 



Length. — 5.50 to 6 inches; bill about .75. 



Adult in Spring. — Feathers of upper parts black centered, edged with gray, 

 rusty or chestnut; sides of head, neck and breast streaked with brown; 

 belly white; legs and feet dusky greenish or yellowish green. 



Adult in Fall. — General tone of upper parts ashy. 



Young. — Upper parts much as in fall adult; breast dusky, very indistinctly 

 streaked with darker; rest of under parts white; legs greenish yellow. 



Field Marks. — The smallest Sandpiper; like Semipalmated Sandpiper, but 

 feet not webbed at all and breast more streaked; legs greenish or yellovnsk. 



Notes. — Peep-peep. A simple and trilling whistle (Townsend). 



Season. — Common to abundant spring and fall migrant coastwise, less 

 common inland; late April to early June; early July to early October; 

 formerly summered on our coast. 



Range. — North and South America. Breeds from northwestern Alaska, 

 southern arctic islands and northern Ungava to Yakutat Bay, Alaska, 

 valley of Upper Yukon, northern Mackenzie, central Keewatin, southern 

 Ungava, Nova Scotia and Sable Island; winters from California, Texas 

 and North Carolina through West Indies and Central America to Brazil, 

 Chile and Galapagos; in migration occurs throughout United States 

 and west to northeastern Siberia and Commander Islands, north to 

 Greenland, and in Bermuda; accidental in Europe. 



History. 

 The little Peep, the "baby" among the shore birds, is 

 probably the most abundant of them all throughout the land ; 

 but in recent years its numbers have diminished sadly along 

 the coast of New England. Formerly it rarely was hunted 

 except by small boys. A gunner now and then shot into a 

 large flock when larger birds failed to occupy his attention; 

 but these "pot shots" usually were made merely to see how 



