THE LEAST SANDPIPER. 
(5 I HIS lively, social little Sand- 
t I piper is common throughout 
o) I America, nesting in the Arctic 
regions. It is migratory, 
arriving the last of March to the first 
of May, a few occasionally remaining 
till November. It has been found 
breeding as far south as Sable Island, 
Nova Scotia, but its usual breeding 
grounds are north from Labrador and 
Alaska to Greenland, wintering from 
California and the Gulf states south- 
ward. It is more restless and active 
than the larger Sandpipers, but in 
habits it differs little, if any, from 
them. It runs nimbly about, often 
with the large waders, feeding around 
and beneath them, apparently heedless 
of danger. While watching the birds, 
they will often pass close to the feet, 
but at the least motion the whole 
flock will spring into the air " like a 
flash, with a startled Peep, peep, and 
in a compact form swiftly sweep about 
in an uncertain manner, canting from 
side to side, showing rapidly the 
white beneath and the dark above, a 
wavy, pretty sight, the white at times 
fairly glistening in the sunlight." 
When migrating or going any distance 
their flight is steady and direct. 
Audubon, who observed the breeding 
habits of the birds in Labrador, says 
that at all periods, excepting those at 
which they have nests containing 
eggs, or young so small and feeble as 
to require all the care of their parents, 
the flight of this species resembles that 
of the Common Snipe (see Birds, 
Vol. IV., page 7); but when started 
from the nest, or from any place 
in the immediate vicinity, it rises 
and moves off low over the ground, 
with deeply incurved wings, and with 
a whirling motion thereof, which, if 
as rapid as those of a Partridge, would 
appear quite similar, but on such 
occasions the Lesser Sandpiper moves 
slowly, and instead of uttering the 
note of independence, as it were, 
which it emits at other times, while 
freely and fearlessly traveling, it gives 
out sounds weakened by grief or 
anxiety, for the purpose of inducing 
the observers to follow it. If on the 
ground, it acts in a similar manner, 
moves off slowly, and limping as if 
crippled, and this at times quite as 
much as if one had come upon it 
while on its nest, or surprised it with 
its young. 
The Sandpiper's nest is placed on 
the ground in a slight depression, 
scantily lined with leaves and grasses. 
The eggs are three or four, of ground 
color cream buff to light drab, spotted 
and blotched irregularly with varying 
shades of brown, thickest about the 
larger end. 
The Least Sandpiper is always found 
associated with the Semi-palmated 
Sandpiper, which in the later summer 
throng our shores and form staple 
sport to the youthful and city tyros. 
Flocks of birds are often composed of 
both species. When this is the case, 
the latter, even if largely in the 
minority, take the lead, as they are of 
somewhat larger size, stronger in 
flight, and have a louder note. When 
not in company with other species, 
none of our shore birds are more 
confiding and unsuspecting than these, 
says Davie, large flocks continuing 
their search for food almost under the 
feet of the observer. 
The black and white outlines which 
are often seen of this bird make it 
possible, perhaps, to recognize it, but 
the perfect likeness which we present 
will enable the observer to distinguish 
it at a glance from all others of the 
family, of which there are about a 
dozen well-known species. 
70 
