254 
SNIPES AND SANDPIPERS 
The thought of these little Sandpipers always creates a mental pic- 
ture of a long stretch of dazzling beach with its ever-changing surf- 
line. I hear the oft-repeated booming of the rolling, tumbling breakers, 
and in the distance see a group of tiny forms hurrying to and fro over 
the sand smoothed by the frothy waves. With what nimble grace- 
fulness they follow the receding waves, searching for treasures cast up 
by the sea! What contentment and good-fellowship are expressed by 
their cheery, conversational twitterings! Up and down the beach they 
run, now advancing, now retreating, sometimes, in their eagerness, ven- 
turing too far, when the waters threaten to engulf them, and in momen- 
tary confusion they take wing and hover back to a place of safety. 
Suddenly, as though at a signal, they are off ; a compact flock moving 
as one bird, twisting and turning to right and left, now gleaming white 
as the sun strikes their snowy bodies, now dark again like a wisp of 
sunless cloud flying before the wind. 
247. Ereimetes mauri (Cab.). Western Sandpiper. This bird 
closely resembles the preceding, from which, in summer plumage, it differs 
in having the upperparts conspicuously margined with rufous and the breast 
more heavily streaked. In fall and winter plumage the differences in color- 
ation are not so apparent, but the birds are to be distinguished at any season 
by the size of the bill, which in the western species is always longer. 
W., 3*80; Tar., 80; B., -85-1*20. 
Range. — N. and S. A. Breeds along the Alaska coast from Kotzebue 
Sound to mouth of Yukon; winters from N. C. to Fla., and from s. L. Calif, 
to Venezuela; in migration occurs mainly w. of the Rocky Mts., but also 
on the Atlantic coast as far n. as Mass., and in the West Indies. 
Washington, rare T. V., Aug.-Sept. Long Island, uncommon T. V., in 
fall, occurring with E. pusillus. 
Eggs, 3-4, deep cinnamon buffy, sprinkled, speckled, or thickly spotted 
with bright rusty brown or chestnut, the general aspect decidedly rusty, 
1*24 x *87 (Ridgw.). Date, St. Michael’s, Alaska, May 28. 
This western representative of the preceding species is found on 
our coasts associated with its eastern relative. According to Wayne 
(Birds So. Car.) this is the most abundant winter wader on the South 
Carolina coast. 
248. Calidris leucophsea (Pall.). Sanderling. Ads. in summer . — 
Feathers of upperparts with generally black centers, bordered and some- 
times barred with pale rufous and tipped with ashy white; wings fuscous, 
basal half of outer web of inner primaries white; wing-coverts grayish fuscous, 
greater ones, broadly tipped with white; tail brownish gray, narrowly 
margined with white ; throat and upper breast washed with pale rufous and 
spotted with blackish; rest of the underparts pure white. Juv — Similar, 
but upperparts without rufous, glossy black, the feathers sometimes bor- 
dered with white, but generally with two white spots at their tips separated 
by the black of the central part of the feather; nape grayish white, lightly 
streaked with blackish; underparts pure white, with occasionally a few spots 
on the breast. Ads. and Juv. in winter. — Upperparts pale brownish gray, 
wings as in the preceding; underparts pure white. L., 8*00; W., 5*00; Tar., 
1*00; B., 1*00. 
Remarks. — The Sanderling is the only one of our Snipes or Sandpipers 
having three toes, and it may always be known by this character in combi- 
nation with its transversely scaled tarsi. 
