SNIPES AND SANDPIPERS 
261 
position to return again to the neighborhood of their former feeding- 
places.” 
263. Aetitis macularia (Linn.), Spotted Sandpiper. Ads. in sum- 
mer. — Upperparts brownish gray with a faint greenish luster, head and neck 
more or less streaked, and back barred or spotted with black; inner tail- 
feathers like back, outer ones white with blackish bars; underparts white; 
everywhere spotted with black. Juv. — Upperparts brownish gray, with a 
greenish tinge, back faintly and wing-coverts conspicuously barred with 
black and buffy; underparts pure white, unspotted, but slightly washed with 
grayish on breast. Ads. and Juv. in winter. — Similar, but back without bars. 
L., 7*50; W., 4-20; Tar., *90; B., *95. 
Range. — N. and S. A. Breeds from tree limit in nw. Alaska, n. Macken- 
zie, cen.. Keewatin, n. Ungava, and N. F. s. to s. Calif., Ariz., s. Tex., s. La. 
and n. S. C.; winters from Calif., La., and S. C., to s. Brazil and cen. Peru; 
straggles to Great Britain and Helgoland. 
Washington, common T. V., not common S. R., Apl. 2-Oct. 28. Long 
Island, abundant S. R., Apl. 25-Oct. Ossining, common S. R., Apl. 29- 
Oct. 25. Cambridge, common S. R., Apl. 26-Sept. 30. N. Ohio, common 
S. R., Apl. 9-Oct. 15. Glen Ellyn, not very common S. R., Apl. 19-Oct. 30. 
SE. Minn., common S. R., Apl. 18-Oct. 22. 
Nest, on dry ground, in the grasses or weeds, or beneath a bush near 
fresh or salt water. Eggs, 4, creamy buff or white, thickly spotted and 
speckled with chocolate, chiefly at the larger end, 1'25 x '95. Date, Mont- 
gomery Co., Pa., May 16; Cambridge, May 25; se. Minn., May 30. 
Few Shore Birds are more generally known than this widely dis- 
tributed little Sandpiper. It frequents the margins of bodies of both 
fresh and salt water, but is more common inland on the shores of our 
rivers, ponds and lakes. During the summer it is practically our only 
fresh-water Sandpiper, and is familiar to most of us under its common 
names. It runs rapidly along the beach, then pausing bobs, bows, and 
‘teters’ in a most energetic manner. When flushed it takes wing with 
a sharp weet-weet weet-weet, and after a few wing-strokes scales over 
the water to the beach beyond. It apparently dislikes to go beyond 
certain limits, and after several flights makes a wide circle and returns 
to the starting point. 
264. Numenius americanus Wils. Long-billed Curlew. Ads . — - 
Head and neck streaked, and back barred with buffy and black; wing- 
coverts, inner webs of primaries, secondaries, and tail varying from buffy 
to pale rufous, barred or mottled with blackish; underparts ochraceous- 
buff, breast more or less streaked and sides sometimes barred with black; 
axillars rufous, generally unbarred. L., 24*00; W., 10*50; Tar., 3*10; B., 6*00. 
Range. — N. A. Breeds from cen. B. C., s. Sask., and Man. to ne. 
Calif., n. N. Mex., and nw. Tex.; winters from cen. Calif., and s. 
Ariz. s. to Guatemala, and on the Atlantic coast from S. C., to Fla., La., and 
Tex.; formerly a regular migrant n. to Mass, and rarely to N. F., now a 
straggler e. of the Miss., n. of Fla.; casual in the West Indies. 
Washington, rare and irregular T. V. Long Island, casual from July- 
Sept. (Dutcher). Ossining, A. V. 
Eggs, 3-4, olive clay-color or brownish ashy, spotted or blotched with 
chocolate, 2*58 x 1*85. Date, Salt Lake Co., Utah, May 2; Crane Lake, 
Saskatchewan, June 1. 
“These birds, as a rule, inhabit the muddy shores and moist, grassy 
flats and plains, but often frequent and breed upon the uplands remote 
