SCOLOFACID^ : SANDPIPERS. 
625 
olivaceous, usually boldly spotted and splashed with umber or chocolate brown, massed at 
larger end ; sometimes more uniformly spotted in smaller pattern. 
613. E. p. occidentalis "? (Lat. ocaV7( western. ) Western Semipalmated Sandpiper. 
An aUeged variety, probably untenable, ascribed to Western N. Am. 
235. ACTODRO'MAS. (Gr. afcriy, ahte, the seashore ; 8pofias, dromas, running.) Pectoral 
Sandpipers. Spotty-throat Sandpipers. Bill about equal to head or tarsus, short, 
straight, very slender, somewhat compressed, the tip punctulate, scarcely expanded, acute. 
Grooves on both mandibles very deep, and extending nearly to the tip. Nostrils situated very 
near the base of the bill. Feathers extending on the lower mandible much beyond those on 
the upper, and half as far as those between the rami. Wings long, pointed, first primary 
usually longest ; tertials long, slender, flowing. Tail rather long, deeply doubly-emarginate 
(in one species cuneate), the central feathers much projecting ; upper tail-coverts moderately 
long. Tibia bare for more than half the length of the tarsus j the feathers very short, making 
the exposed portion nearly as great. Tarsus equal to the middle toe and claw. Toes long^ 
slender, very narrowly margined, entirely free at base. A group of several species, including 
the smallest representatives of the family, agreeing in form and also in having the jugu- 
lum and fore-breast thickly streaked or spotted, usually also with a brownish or ashy suffusion. 
Analysis of Species. 
Tail graduated, with acuminate feathers. 
Jugulum ruddy brown, with very small sharp dark streaks. Upper tail-coverts and rump with black 
central field acuminata 619 
Tail not graduated ; its feathers, except central pair, not acuminate. 
Jugulum with brownish or ashy siiflfusion, thickly streaked. Upper tail-coverts and rump with black 
central field. 
Largest ; length 9.00 ; wing 5.25. Crown much darker than liind neck, the transition abrupt. 
Chin immaculate. Edgings of feathers on upper parts light chestnut-red, not making inden- 
tations toward the shaft. Suffusion on jugulum very deep, the darker streaks narrow, distinct. 
Bill and feet dusky-green maculata G16 
Medium; length 7.25; wing 4.80. Crown not conspicuously darker than hind neck. Edgings of 
feathers on upper parts light reddish-yellow, scarcely brighter on the scapulars, making inden- 
tations toward the shaft. Suffusion on jugulum very light, the darker markings rounded, some- 
what obsolete. Bill and feet black # . . bavrdi 615 
j Smallest; a miniature of the preceding; length 5.75; wing 3.40. Edges of feathers cheistnut-red, 
I usually more or less indented, their tips lighter. Bill black ; legs dusky-green . . . minutilla 614 
Jugulum with little or no brownish or ashy suffusion. Upper tail-coverts white. 
Medium ; length 7.50 ; wing 4.80. Jugulum thickly streaked with narrow dark lines. Upper tail- 
coverts immaculate, except the outermost. Central tail-feathers nearly black . . . hona2)artii 617 
Large; length 9.50; wing 5.75. Jugulum thinly marked with oval spots or streaks. Upper tail- 
coverts with dark arrow-heads. Central tail-feathers scarcely darker than the lateral. . cooperi 618 
I 614. A. minutil'la. (Lat. minutilla, very minute; dim. of minutus, small.) American Stint. 
Wilson's Stint. Least Sandpiper. Peep. Smallestof the sandpipers; length 5.50-6.00; 
extent about 11.00 ; wing 3.25-3.50 ; tail 2.00 or less ; bill, tarsus, and middle toe with claw, about 
0.75. Bill black ; legs dusky greenish. Upper parts in summer with each feather blackish cen- 
j trally, edged with bright bay and tipped with ashy or white ; in winter, and in the young, simply 
ashy. Quills blackish, the shaft of the first white, the secondaries and greater coverts tipped 
with white. Tail-feathers gray with whitish edges, the central ones blackish, usually with reddish 
edges. Crown not conspicuously different from hind neck; an indistinct whitish line over eye, 
and dusky one from eye to bill. Chestnut edgings of scapulars usually scalloped. Below, 
white ; jugulum and sides of body for some distance with ashy or brownish suffusion, thickly 
spotted and streaked with dusky. This species and the last are usually confounded under the 
common name «f " sandpeeps," and look much alike; but a glance at the toes is sufficient to 
distinguish them. N., C. and S. America and W. I., anywhere ; very abundant during the 
migrations. Breeds in high latitudes, returning to the U. S. in August. Eggs unknown, 
j: 615. A. bair'di. (To S. F. Baird.) Baird's Sandpiper. Form and proportions typical of the 
( genus. Bill small, slender, rather shorter than the head, equal to the tarsuS; the tip scarcely 
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