MAY 17 Ifit 
Shor» Birds of Cape Cod. 
John C. Gaboon. 
Least Sandpiper, Tringa minutilla (Vieill.) 
Peep or Bumblebee on Cape Cod. An abundant 
spring, summer and autumn migrant. The 
first comers reach the Cape the last week in 
April or first in May, becoming abundant about 
May 13, and remaining so until June 1. The 
first ones from the north come about July 6, 
becoming common July 15, and increasing at 
intervals during August and September. It is 
the most numerous about the last of August. 
A few stragglers remain into October. In the 
spring they are seen in pairs or small parties of 
from six to twenty, and seem to be in a hurry 
to continue their northern journey. In the 
summer and autumn they are in no hurry, and 
gather in large flocks on and along the edges 
of marshes, muddy flats and creeks and pebbly 
beaches, in search of small worms, aquatic in- 
sects and tiny shell fish, which they eagerly 
devour. They are very numerous on the 
marshes at Barnstable, Dennis, and Brewster, 
in the summer and autumn, after the grass has 
been mown. I remember when quite a small 
boy what sport I had in one of the above 
meadows during the haying season while after 
these little snipe. Often in my eagerness to 
reach a flock on the meadow, I got into a muddy 
slough-hole up to my waist, but that was soon 
forgotten if l made a successful shot. 
As we walk out on the marsh, we see several 
of these graceful little birds about the edge of 
a muddy pool, sticking their bills into the soft 
mud after small worms and insects. If we stop 
and look carefully around, we will see some of 
the little fellows only a few yards distant 
! from us, standing perfectly still, their little 
black eyes watching every movement we make. 
As we start on, one springs up with a faint 
i cry, and as he goes skimming away he is joined 
by other individuals that we had not noticed, 
which get up out of the grass near by. As they 
[continue their flight twisting and diving, thej T 
j are reinforced into a good sized flock bj r com- [ 52 
panions from different portion of the marsh, 
and rising to a considerable height they circle 
about several times and come flying back, often 
alighting upon the same place that they started 
from. 
<To be continued.) 
Q.& Q. XIII. Aug. 1888 p. 12 H. 
