Birds of America
By John James Audubon, F. R. SS. L. & E.
VOLUME V.
Family
Genus
SPOTTED SANDPIPER, OR TATLER.
[Spotted Sandpiper.]
TOTANUS MACULARIUS, Wils.
[Actitis macularius.]
PLATE CCCXLII.--MALE AND FEMALE.
In the course of my last journey in search of information respecting the
birds which at one season or other are found within the limits of the United
States, I observed so vast a number of them in Texas, that I almost concluded
that more than two-thirds of our species occur there. Among them I observed the
beautiful bird now before you.
The Spotted Sandpiper has a wonderfully extensive range, for I have met
with it not only in most parts of the United States, but also on the shores of
Labrador, where, on the 17th of June, 1833, I found it breeding. On the 29th of
July, the young were fully fledged, and scampering over the rocks about us, amid
the putrid and drying cod-fish. In that country it breeds later by three
months than in Texas; for on the head waters of Buffalo Bayou, about sixty miles
from the margin of the Mexican Gulf, I saw broods already well grown on the 5th
of May, 1837. On the same day of the same month in 1832, a similar occurrence
happened on an island near Indian Key, on the south-east coast of Florida. In
Newfoundland, on the other hand, the young were just fully fledged on the 11th
of August, 1833. It appears strange that none were observed by Dr. RICHARDSON
on the shores of Hudson's Bay, or in the interior of that country. They are
quite abundant along the margins of the Mississippi, the Ohio, and their
tributaries, where they remain until driven off by the cold, and return about
the beginning of April, at which period the Purple Martin also makes its
appearance. In our Middle Districts, they arrive a fortnight later. On the
Island of Jestico, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, about twenty pairs had nests and
eggs on the 11th of June; and the air was filled with the pleasing sound of
their voices while we remained there. The nests were placed among the tall
slender grass that covered the southern part of the island. They were more
bulky and more neatly constructed than any that I have examined southward of the
Gulf of St. Lawrence; and yet they were not to be compared with those found in
Labrador, where, in every instance, they were concealed under ledges of rocks
extending for several feet over them, so that I probably should not have
observed them, had not the birds flown off as I was passing. These nests were
made of dry moss, raised to the height of from six to nine inches, and well
finished within with slender grasses and feathers of the Eider Duck. As usual,
however, the eggs were always four, when the bird was sitting. They measure an
inch and a quarter in length, by an inch at their thickest part, so that they
have a shortish and bulky appearance, though they run almost to a point. They
are smooth, and handsomely marked with blotches of deep brown and others of a
lighter tint, on a greyish-yellow ground, the spots being larger and closer
towards the rounded end. Both sexes incubate, and remain with their brood until
the time of their departure.
My learned friend THOMAS NUTTALL has described the manners of this species
as observed in the neighbourhood of Boston, with so much truth and accuracy,
that I cannot do better than present you with his account of it, the more
especially, that in so doing, I have an opportunity of expressing the high
opinion I entertain of his talents and varied accomplishments. "The Peet Weet
is one of the most familiar and common of all the New England marsh-birds,
arriving along our river shores and low meadows about the beginning of May, from
their mild or tropical winter quarters in Mexico. As soon as it arrives on the
coast, small roving flocks are seen, at various times of the day, coursing
rapidly along the borders of our tide-water streams, flying swiftly and rather
low, in circular sweeps along the meanders of the rock or river, and
occasionally crossing from side to side, in rather a sportive and cheerful mien,
than as the needy foragers they appear at the close of the autumn. While flying
out in these wide circuits, agitated by superior feelings to those of hunger and
necessity, we hear the shores re-echo the shrill and rapid whistle of 'weet,
'weet, 'weet, 'weet, and usually closing the note with something like a warble,
as they approach their companions on the strand. The cry then varies to 'peet,
'weet, 'weet, 'weet, beginning high and gradually declining into a somewhat
plaintive tone. As the season advances, our little lively marine wanderers
often trace the streams some distance into the interior, resting usually in
fresh meadows among the grass, sometimes even near the house, and I have seen
their eggs laid in a strawberry-bed; and the young and old, pleased with their
allowed protection, familiarly fed, and probed the margin of the adjoining
duck-pond, for their usual fare of worms and insects. They have the very
frequent habit of balancing or wagging the tail, in which even the young join as
soon as they are fledged. From the middle to the close of May, the pairs,
seceding from their companions, seek out a place for their nest, which is always
in a dry open field of grass or grain, sometimes in the seclusion and shade of a
field of maize, but most commonly in a dry pasture, contiguous to the sea-shore;
and in some of the solitary and small sea islands, several pairs sometimes
nestle near to each other, in the immediate vicinity of the noisy nurseries of
the quailing Terns. On being flushed from her eggs, the female goes off without
uttering any complaint; but when surprised with her young, she practises all the
arts of dissimulation common to many other birds, fluttering in the path, as if
badly wounded, and generally proceeds in this way so far as to deceive a dog,
and cause it to overlook the brood, for whose protection these instinctive arts
are practised; nor are the young without their artful instinct, for on hearing
the reiterated cries of their parents, they scatter about, and squatting still
in the withered grass, almost exactly their colour, it is with careful search
very difficult to discover them, so that in nine times out of ten, they would be
overlooked, and only be endangered by the tread, which they would endure sooner
than betray their cautious retreat.
"At a later period the shores and marshes resound with the quick, clear,
and oft-repeated note of peet weet, peet weet, followed up by a plaintive call
on the young, of peet, peet, peet? peet? If this is not answered by the
scattered brood, a reiterated 'weet, 'weet, 'weet, 'wait, 'wait, is heard, the
voice dropping on the final syllables. The whole marsh and the shores at times
echo to this loud, lively, and solicitous call of the affectionate parents for
their brood. The cry, of course, is most frequent toward evening, when the
little family, separated by the necessity of scattering themselves over the
ground in quest of food, are again desirous of reassembling to roost. The
young, as soon as hatched, run about the grass, and utter from the first a weak
plaintive peep, at length more frequent and audible; and an imitation of the
whistle of peet weet, is almost sure to meet with an answer from the
sympathizing broods, which now throng our marshes. When the note appears to be
answered, the parents hurry, and repeat their call with great quickness. Young
and old, previous to their departure, frequent the seashores, like most of the
species, but never associate with other kinds, nor become gregarious, living
always in families till the time of their departure, which usually occurs about
the middle of October."
My esteemed friend THOMAS MACCULLOCH of Pictou, Nova Scotia, having
transmitted to me a curious account of the attachment of one of these birds to
her eggs, I here insert it with pleasure. "Being on an excursion to the
Hardwood Heights, which rise to the west of Pictou, my attention was attracted
by the warble of a little bird, which appeared to me entirely new, and which
proceeded from a small thicket a short way off. Whilst crossing an intervening
meadow, I accidentally raised a Spotted Sandpiper from its nest, and having
marked the spot I hastened forwards; but the shyness of the object of my pursuit
rendered all my efforts unavailing, and returning to the nest which I had just
left, I expected to find it still unoccupied; but the Sandpiper had again
resumed her place, and left it with great reluctance, on my near approach. The
nest contained four eggs, which I determined to remove on my return at night,
and for the purpose of preventing the bird sitting again upon them, I placed a
number of stones in a slanting position over the nest, and so close that it was
impossible for the bird to get into it. On my return in the evening, however, I
observed the little creature rise from beside the stones apparently in greater
trepidation than ever, and more anxious to draw me away by the exhibition of all
those little arts which they practise for this purpose. On examining the spot I
was very much surprised to find that the poor thing had not only hollowed out a
new nest, but had actually succeeded in abstracting two eggs from the other
nest. How the bird had contrived to remove the eggs I cannot conceive, as the
stones remained unaltered. This attachment to its nest and eggs appeared to me
more singular as the bird had just commenced incubation, the eggs exhibiting
very little appearance of the young."
In addition to the observations of THOMAS NUTTALL, I must inform you that
this species is often observed to alight on the branches of trees hanging over
water-courses, on which they walk deliberately, and with their usual delicate
elegance of gait, and balancing of both body and tail. They are also wont to
alight more frequently on the rails and stakes of fences, or on walls. I have
seen them on the tops of hay-stacks, where they seemed to be engaged in pursuing
insects. On several occasions I have found their nests in orchards of both
peach and apple trees, at a considerable distance from water, the use of which,
indeed, they do not appear to require much during the progress of incubation, or
the first weeks after hatching their young, when I have seen them rambling in
search of food over large open fields of sweet potatoes and other vegetables, in
the neighbourhood of some of our cities.
While these birds are flying, in the love-season, the points of their wings
are considerably bent down, and they propel themselves by strong and decided
beats, supporting themselves afterwards by slow tremulous motions of their
pinions, to the distance of some yards, when they repeat the strong beats, and
thus continue until they realight, uttering all the while their well-known
notes, so accurately described by my friend NUTTALL.
In the autumnal months, along the shores of La Belle Riviere, I have often
with much delight watched the movements of these birds, when I have been
surprised to see the pertinacity with which, after the first frosts, they would
pursue their migration down the stream, for on attempting to make them fly the
other way, they would rise, sometimes to the height of twenty yards, and flying
over head or along the river, proceed downwards, although at any other time they
would exhibit no such propensity. They run along the shores, and through
shallow water, with great nimbleness; and while courting, the male struts
before the female, with depressed wings, spreading out his tail and trailing it
along the ground, in the manner of the Migratory and Rufous Thrushes.
The young become very fat in autumn, and afford delicious eating, for as
they feed much on worms, aquatic insects, and small mollusca, their flesh seldom
has a fishy taste. The male and female are alike, and almost equal in size.
The young differ from the old until the approach of winter, when, with the
exception of their being rather smaller, no difference can be perceived.
This species occurs also in Europe, and a few individuals have been shot in
England.
SPOTTED SANDPIPER, Tringa macularia, Wils. Amer. Orn., vol. vii. p. 60.
TOTANUS MACULARIUS, Bonap. Syn., p. 325.
SPOTTED TATLER or PEET-WEET, Nutt. Man., vol. ii. p. 162.
SPOTTED SANDPIPER, Tetanus macularius, Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. iv. p. 81.
Male, 8, 13 3/4.
Breeds from Texas along the shores to Maine, the islands of the Gulf of St.
Lawrence, and Labrador. Inland all over the country. Very common. Resident in
the Southern States. Columbia river.
Adult Male.
Bill a little longer than the head, very slender, sub-cylindrical,
straight, flexible, compressed, the point rather obtuse. Upper mandible with
the dorsal line straight, the ridge convex, broader at the base, slightly
depressed towards the end, the sides sloping, towards the end convex, the edges
sharp, the tip slightly deflected. Nasal groove extending over three-fourths of
the length of the bill; nostrils basal, linear, pervious. Lower mandible with
the angle very long and extremely narrow, the dorsal line straight, the sides
grooved at the base, convex towards the end.
Head small, oblong. Eyes rather large. Neck of moderate length. Body
rather slender. Feet rather long and slender; tibia bare nearly half its
length, scutellate before and behind; tarsus also scutellate before and behind;
hind toe very small and elevated; fore toes rather long, very slender, connected
by basal webs, of which the outer is much larger; second toe considerably
shorter than fourth; all flat beneath, and marginate. Claws small, slightly
arched, much compressed, rather sharp, that of the middle toe much larger, with
the inner edge considerably dilated.
Plumage very soft, blended, on the fore part of the head very short. Wings
long, narrow, pointed; primaries rather narrow and tapering, first longest, the
rest rapidly graduated; secondaries short, broad, incurved, obliquely rounded,
the inner elongated and tapering. Tail of moderate length, much rounded, of
twelve rounded feathers.
Bill greenish-olive above, yellow beneath, the point of both mandibles
black. Eye hazel. Feet pale yellowish flesh-colour, claws black. All the
upper parts shining deep brownish-olive, the head longitudinally streaked, the
back transversely barred with black. A line from the bill to the eye and beyond
it white, another beneath it dusky. All the lower parts white, marked with
numerous brownish-black spots, smaller on the throat, largest and roundish on
the breast and sides. Axillary feathers pure white, lower wing-coverts white,
mottled with dusky. Quills brownish-black, glossed with green, the elongated
inner secondaries like the back; the primaries slightly tipped with white, the
secondaries, excepting the inner, more distinctly so, the white forming on them
a conspicuous band. Four middle tail-feathers like the back, with a band of
black at the end, the tip white; the next pair on each side similar, with the
white tip larger; the next barred with dusky on the outer web; the lateral
feather with the outer web white, similarly barred.
Length to end of tail 8 inches, to end of wings 7 1/2, to end of claws
8 1/2; extent of wings 13 3/4; wing from flexure 4 7/8; tail 2; bill along the
ridge 1; tarsus (10 1/2)/12; hind toe and claw (4 1/2)/12; middle toe and claw
1 1/12.
Female.
There is hardly any difference between the sexes.
The young in winter have the bill black at the end, dusky olive above,
yellowish beneath; the feet yellowish flesh-colour. The lower parts are
brownish-white, without spots; the upper of the same brownish-olive as in the
adult, but the head and hind neck destitute of streaks, and the rest with
narrower and more numerous dusky bars.
The tongue is 10 twelfths long, slender, tapering to a point, grooved
above, sagittate and papillate at the base. The roof of the mouth with a single
row of papillae, posteriorly divided into two series. OEsophagus 3 inches and 8
twelfths long, its diameter 2 twelfths, and nearly uniform. Proventriculus 1/2
inch long, 3 1/2 twelfths in diameter. Stomach elliptical, 8 1/2 twelfths long,
6 1/2 twelfths in breadth; its lateral muscles strong, the tendinous spaces
oblong; the cuticular lining with large longitudinal rugae, and of a deep red
colour. The contents of the stomach in this individual were remains of marine
insects, and quartz sand. Intestine 10 inches long, its diameter varying from
1 1/2 twelfths to 1 twelfth; it enlarges near the rectum to 2 twelfths. Rectum
1 inch and 1 twelfth; coeca 1 inch and 1 twelfth, their diameter 3/4 of a
twelfth.
The trachea is 2 inches and 8 twelfths long, its diameter from 2 twelfths
to 1 twelfth; its rings 105, feeble and unossified. The lateral muscles
extremely feeble; sterno-tracheals moderate; a single pair of inferior laryngeal
muscles.