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Remarks (There is of course every)

There is, of course, every degree of intergradation between summer and winter plumage, but the species may always be known by its slightly curved bill.

Range.-North America, breeding in the arctic regions and wintering from Florida southward; rare in the interior.

Washington, rare T. V., Apl.; Oct. Long Island, T. V., uncommon in FIG. 63.-Red-backed Sandpiper. (Natural size.) spring, Apl. 1 to May 15; common in fall, Aug. 31 through Oct. Sing Sing, tolerably common T. V. in fall, Oct. 3 to Oct. 24. Cambridge, casual, one instance, Oct.

Eggs, three to four, varying from pale, bluish white to ochraceous-buff, heavily marked with chocolate, chiefly at the larger end, 1.43 x 1.01. Generally speaking, this is a shore or beach bird, though it also visits grassy marshes. It flies and feeds in flocks, and is an unsuspicious, rather stupid little Snipe, less active than most members of this family. The gray-plumaged fall birds are known as "Leadbacks," while in the spring they go by the names "Blackbreast" or "Redback." The DUNLIN (243. Tringa alpina) is the Old-World representative of our Red-backed Sandpiper, from which it differs only in being less brightly colored and somewhat smaller. L., about 7.40; W., 4·12-4-50; Tar., 78-90; B., 1.05-1.25. It is of casual occurrence in North America. The CURLEW SANDPIPER (244. Tringa ferruginea) inhabits the eastern hemisphere, and occurs casually in eastern North America. It has been recorded from Ontario, Nova Scotia, Maine, Massachusetts, and Long Island. 246. Ereunetes pusillus (Linn.). SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER; SAND OXEYE; PEEP. Ad. in summer. - Upper parts black or fuscous, margined with brownish gray and a small amount of rufous; rump grayish brown; upper tail-coverts blackish; tail-feathers brownish gray, central ones darkest; breast streaked or spotted with blackish. Im.-Similar, but upper parts and wingcoverts blackish, with rounded rufous or buffy tips to the feathers; breast un- SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. streaked, tinted with buffy. Winter plumage. Upper parts brownish gray, with darker shaft streaks; upper tail-coverts darker; under parts white, sometimes with faint streaks on the breast. L., 6.30; W., 3.75; Tar., 75; B., 65-80.