SANDPIPERS 
195 
Distinctions. In spring the heavy grey 
barring below is mistakable for no other 
species. The Stilt Sandpiper is the only other 
wader with breast so barred, but it is much 
smaller and the colour is warm brown instead 
of slate-grey. In juvenility, the Wandering 
Tattler is rather like an autumn Knot, but the 
grey is decidedly darker, plumbeous rather 
than ash-grey, with practically no pattern, 
and the rump is the same colour as the tail and 
back. The autumn Surf-bird has also a general 
resemblance to the autumn Tattler, but has a 
white rump, considerable white in the wings, 
a well-streaked throat, and a closely spotted 
or striped breast. 
Field Marks. A rather large grey wader; 
adult heavily barred below. Juvenile, white 
below with faint breast suffusion, but no other 
conspicuous characters. Bill rather longer 
than head. 
Distribution. Rocky coasts and islands of 
the Pacific. It breeds in interior of Alaska 
and the Yukon, but its nest has only lately 
been found. It migrates down our British 
Columbia coast, but never occurs inland 
except as noted above. A purely maritime 
species except in the breeding season when 
some at least seem to go inland to nest; at 
other times it is confined to rocky shores. 
Figure 278 
Wandering Tattler; scale, 
Adult Juvenile 
258. Wiilet. le chevalier 1 ailes blanches. Caloptrophorus semipalmatus . 
L, 15. Plate XXIV B. A large, grey shore bird with white rump and pale tail and a 
conspicuous white bar across the wings. 
Distinctions. There is no other species with which the Wiilet is likely to be confused. 
The general greyish and white colour and conspicuous black and white wings are perfectly 
distinctive even if the large size of the species be not sufficient identification. 
Field Marks. A large grey and white wader with white rump and tail, and in flight 
with a flaring white bar across black wings (Figure 279). 
