THE SEMI-PALMATED SANDPIPER. 597 



feathers as adult but edged buff ; wing as adult but innermost 

 secondaries and coverts sepia edged ochraceous-buff or creanry- 

 white ; median coverts pale sepia or ash-brown edged sandy-burl 

 or cream ; lesser coverts sepia edged sandy-buff. 



First winter. — As adult winter but distinguished by creamy 

 and sandy-buff edges to juvenile wing-coverts, least abraded on 

 innermost median. The juvenile body -plumage (apparently not 

 all scapulars nor all feathers of back and rump), sometimes central 

 pair of tail-feathers, innermost secondaries and coverts, some 

 median and lesser coverts are moulted Sept. to Nov. but not rest 

 of wings and apparently not rest of tail-feathers. First summer. — ■ 

 Moult and coloration as in adult and only distinguished by cream 

 edges to innermost median and lesser coverts (one examined). 



Measurements and structure. — $ wing 91-99 mm., tail 37-44, 

 tarsus 19.5-21, bill from feathers 16-22 (12 measured). $ wing 95- 

 101, bill 18-23. Primaries : 1st minute, 

 2nd longest, 3rd equal or slightly shorter, 

 4th 3-7 mm. shorter, 5th 11-14 shorter, 

 6th 17-32 shorter. Longest inner secondary 

 between 4th and 7th primaries. Tail 

 doubly emarginated, central pair longest. 

 Bill short, stout, straight, considerably 



expanded at tip Which in dried Skin The Semi-palmated Sandpiper 



appears pitted. Tarsus scutellated. Four 



toes, 3 front ones connected by well-developed web extending to 



about first joint. 



Soft parts. — Bill black ; legs and feet slate ; iris brown. 



Characters and allied forms. — E. p. mauri (Alaska to Yukon) 

 has bill and tarsus longer, upper -parts in summer brighter. Webbing 

 of toes, short stout bill slightly expanded at tip distinguish this 

 from allied species. 



Field -characters. — Usually confused with Calidris minutilla. 

 Tone of plumage greyish with a good deal of white, breast little 

 marked. Bill straight, stout at base. Legs and feet very dark olive, 

 appearing blackish. Flight-note a quick monosyllabic " chrruk," 

 reedier and less emphatic than Dunlin's. Another characteristic 

 note is a short snappy " chip." A rather loud whinny is clearer 

 and more frequent than a similar note of C. minutilla. (J. T. 

 Nichols.) 



Breeding-habits. — Very little definite information but apparently 

 breeds in grassy marshes near sea. Nest. — Hollow in ground, lined 

 dry bents. Eggs. — 3-4, probably normally 4, pyriform, somewhat 

 resemble those of Limicola falcinellus, being thickly spotted all 

 over with reddish-brown markings, which almost obscure ground- 

 colour. Average of 17 eggs, 30x21.4. Max.: 32x22 and 30.4 X 

 22.6. Min. : 27.6x19.6 mm. Breeding -season. — Fresh eggs in 

 early July in Baffin Land. Incubation. — No details available. 



Food. — Little recorded, but insects and leeches definitely specified 



