251 
np ; ::;: ' . * . ' / 
SNIPES AND SANDPIPERS 
“They frequent the sandy beach as well as the marshy shores 
upon the coast, but inland seem to prefer the edges of pools of water 
upon the uplands. They move in small flocks, are very social, often 
associating with other waders, are not as a rule shy or timid, and, when 
startled, usually fly but a short distance, drop back, and run about 
in an unconcerned and heedless manner, picking up the minute forms 
of life that usually abound in such places, occasionally uttering a 
rather sharp, piping weet, weet. Their flight is swift and well sustained’ 1 
(Goss). 
241. Pisobia bairdi ( Coues ). Baird’s Sandpiper. Ads. in summer . — 
Upperparts fuscous; feafthers of crown and nape margined laterally with 
pale buffy; back and scapulars tipped with pale buffy or brownish gray; 
middle upper tail-coverts fuscous , sometimes tipped with buffy ; central tail- 
feathers fuscous, margined with whitish, outer ones pale brownish gray; 
throat white; breast washed with buffy and lightly spotted or streaked with 
fuscous sides and belly white. Juv. — Similar, but the back, scapulars, and 
wing-coverts with rounded white tips. (In the winter these tips are more or 
less worn off.) L., 7*40; W., 4*90; Tar., *90; B., *85. 
Remarks. — This bird most closely resembles P. fuscicollis. In any plu- 
mage it may be known from that species by the fuscous instead of white middle 
upper tail-coverts. In summer it differs also in the absence of rufous above, 
the less heavily spotted throat, and the white instead of spotted sides. In 
winter the chief distinguishing marks of the two species, aside from the dif- 
ferently colored upper tail-coverts, are the buffy breast and generally paler 
upperparts of bairdi. 
Range. — N. and S. A. Breeds along the Arctic coast from Point Barrow 
to n. Keewatin; winters in Chile, Argentina, and Patagonia; occurs regularly 
in migration from the Rocky Mts. to the Miss. River, and in Cen. Am., and 
n. S. A., and irregularly in autumn on the Pacific coast from Alaska to 
L. Calif., and on the Atlantic coast from N. S. to N. J. ; casual in summer in 
Guerrero, Mex.; accidental in England and S. Africa. 
Washington, casual, one record, Sept. Long Island, rare T. V., in fall, 
Aug. 14-Oct. 31. N. Ohio, casual T. V. SE. Minn., T. V., May 10. 
Eggs , 3-4, light, creamy buff, sometimes tinged with rusty, thickly 
speckled and spotted with deep reddish brown or chestnut, 1*30 x *93 
(Ridgw.). Date , Pt. Barrow, June 20. 
“In habits they are similar to the White-rumped (which they so 
closely resemble), but are more inclined to wander from the water ’p* 
edge. I have flushed the birds on high prairie lands, at least a mile 
from the water” (Goss). 
242. Pisobia minutilla (Vieill.). 
Least Sandpiper. Ads. in summer . — 
Upperparts black or fuscous, edged and 
tipped with buffy or rufous; rump and 
middle upper tail-coverts plain black or 
fuscous; central tail-feathers black or 
fuscous, outer ones ashy gray; upper 
throat white ; neck and breast white or 
buffy, streaked with fuscous ; belly and 
sides white. Juv. — Similar, but feathers 
of the back with rounded rufous or buffy 
tips; breast not distinctly streaked. 
Ads. and Juv. in winter. — Upperparts 
brownish gray, sometimes with more 
