The Sharp-tailed Sandpiper 



the last century. In those days powder and shot were deemed too precious 

 to waste upon them (they were worth ten cents a dozen in the Boston 

 market); so the more economical system of "fire lighting" was adopted. 

 Dazzled by the light of a lantern or torch held low, the birds were seized 

 by hand by an assistant who crept about on hands and knees, and they 

 were bitten through the neck to insure a quiet death, gathered into sacks 

 or barrels, and shipped to market. Writing in 1893, Mr. Mackey had 

 to say: 1 "For twelve years past the number of Knots in the vicinity of 

 Tuckernuck Island (a favorite resort of early days) has not averaged 

 more than fifty birds." Is it any marvel, then, that our Federal authori- 

 ties have placed this bird upon the protected list and are striving to nurse 

 the embers of a vanishing race back into life? 



No. 237 



Sharp-tailed Sandpiper 



A. O. U. No. 238. Pisobia acuminata (Horsfield). 



Description. — Adults (in autumn): Above black, much restrained by ochra- 

 ceous edgings; pileum tawny in excess of black; cervical region, shading on sides of 

 neck, warm buff; edgings of tertials ochraceous buff; the lengthened scapulars sharply 

 edged with white on outer web; tail blackish, lightly margined with ochraceous, wedge- 

 shaped, graduated, each feather tapering sharply; underparts white, with warm buffy 

 suffusion on throat and across breast; this area lightly speckled with obscure dusky, 

 more heavily on sides of neck and breast; sides of head white, speckled with dusky; 

 a broad superciliary white; flanks narrowly streaked with dusky. "Bill changing from 

 greenish yellow basally to blackish toward tip; feet greenish yellow." Adults in 

 breeding plumage are said to be more rufescent, with jugulum heavily spotted or barred 

 with dusky. Length of adult male: 203.2-228.6 (8.00-9.00); wing 132 (5.20); tail 58 

 (2.28); bill 26 (1.02). Females average smaller. 



Recognition Marks. — Towhee size; the strength of the buffy brown element 

 above and the strong buffy suffusion of breast most distinctive; comparative absence 

 of streaks on chest in winter plumage distinguishes from P. macitlata. 



Nesting. — Scarcely known; probably much as in next species. Does not breed 

 in California. 



General Range. — Breeds in northeastern Siberia; south in winter, chiefly along 

 eastern Pacific shores and islands, to Australia and New Zealand; also in autumn 

 migrations, western Alaska, and occasionally south to British Columbia. Casual in 

 Washington, California, the Hawaiian Islands, and England. 



Occurrence in California. — One record, — San Diego, Sept. 16, 1921, by A. W. 

 Anthony. 



Authorities. — Anthony (Pisobia aurita), Auk, vol. xxxix., 1922, p. 106 (San 

 Diego, Sept. 16, 1921, 1 spec); Cooke, U. S. Dept. Agric, Biol. Surv. Bull., no. 35, p. 35 

 (distr. and migr.). 



'The 'Auk," Vol. X.. Jan. 1893, p. 28. 

 1230 



