278 
SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER. 
takes place from the beginning to the middle of August. There I found this 
species dispersed in pairs, and having nests, early in June ; but all our en- 
deavours to procure any were fruitless, so cunningly had they disposed of 
them, and so effectually did they mislead us by squatting on the moss for 
several minutes at a time, as if sitting on their eggs. On our approaching 
them on such occasions, they would run or fly off to a short distance, in va- 
rious directions, and renew their wiles. 
I have often seen considerable flocks of this species along the shores of the 
Ohio and Mississippi during autumn, and have reason to believe that some 
are also to be found then on the Missouri. At this season, when they feed 
on fresh-water insects, worms, and small coleoptera, they are very fat, and 
afford excellent eating ; which is rarely the case when they are along the sea- 
shores, as their food then consists of small shell-fish and marine insects, for 
which they are often seen probing the sands in the manner of Curlews. 
They are active, quarrelsome, and impatient, moving from one spot to an- 
other unexpectedly, and perhaps returning to the same place a few minutes 
after. On taking wing, they utter their tweet tweet simultaneously,, and 
whilst on the ground emit murmuring sounds peculiar to themselves. Their 
flight is swift and well sustained, and when alarmed, or previous to alighting, 
their evolutions through the air are very pleasing to the beholder. 
Semipalmated Sandpiper, Tringa semipalmata, Wils. Amer. Orn., vol. vii. p. 131. 
Tringa semipalmata, Bonap. Syn., p. 31G. 
Semipalmated Sandpiper, Nutt. Man., vol. ii. p. 136. 
Semipalmated Sandpiper, Tringa semipalmata , Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. v. p. 110. 
Adult, 63, V2h 
Exceedingly abundant from Texas to Maine, in winter, spring, and autumn. 
Breeds from Labrador northward. Columbia river. Migratory. 
Bill as long as the head, slender, straight, compressed, tapering from the 
base to near the point, which is slightly swelled, but with the tip rather 
acute. Upper mandible with the dorsal line straight, the ridge narrow and 
convex, a little broader and flattened towards the end, the sides sloping, with 
the nasal groove extending to near its tip ; lower mandible with the angle 
very long and narrow, the outline straight, towards the end slightly decli- 
nate, the sides sloping a little outwards, with a groove extending to near the 
tip, which is a little widened and rather obtuse. 
Head of moderate size, oblong, compressed. Neck rather short. Body 
compact, ovate. Feet of moderate length and slender ; tibia bare a fourth of 
its length ; tarsus of moderate length, compressed, scutellate before and be- 
hind, so as to leave scarcely any intermediate space ; hind toe very short and 
extremely slender ; anterior toes rather long, slender, connected by webs, of 
