Sandpiper \Sand"pi`per\, n.
   1. (Zool.) Any one of numerous species of small limicoline
      game birds belonging to Tringa, Actodromas,
      Ereunetes, and various allied genera of the family
      Tringidae.
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   Note: The most important North American species are the
         pectoral sandpiper (Tringa maculata), called also
         brownback, grass snipe, and jacksnipe; the
         red-backed, or black-breasted, sandpiper, or dunlin
         (Tringa alpina); the purple sandpiper (Tringa
         maritima: the red-breasted sandpiper, or knot (Tringa
         canutus); the semipalmated sandpiper (Ereunetes
         pusillus); the spotted sandpiper, or teeter-tail
         (Actitis macularia); the buff-breasted sandpiper
         (Tryngites subruficollis), and the Bartramian
         sandpiper, or upland plover. See under Upland. Among
         the European species are the dunlin, the knot, the
         ruff, the sanderling, and the common sandpiper
         (Actitis hypoleucus syn. Tringoides hypoleucus),
         called also fiddler, peeper, pleeps, weet-weet,
         and summer snipe. Some of the small plovers and
         tattlers are also called sandpipers.
         [1913 Webster]

   2. (Zool.) A small lamprey eel; the pride.
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   Curlew sandpiper. See under Curlew.

   Stilt sandpiper. See under Stilt.
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Stilt \Stilt\, n. [OE. stilte; akin to Dan. stylte, Sw. stylta,
   LG. & D. stelt, OHG. stelza, G. stelze, and perh. to E.
   stout.]
   1. A pole, or piece of wood, constructed with a step or loop
      to raise the foot above the ground in walking. It is
      sometimes lashed to the leg, and sometimes prolonged
      upward so as to be steadied by the hand or arm.
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            Ambition is but avarice on stilts, and masked.
                                                  --Landor.
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   2. A crutch; also, the handle of a plow. [Prov. Eng.]
      --Halliwell.
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   3. (Zool.) Any species of limicoline birds belonging to
      Himantopus and allied genera, in which the legs are
      remarkably long and slender. Called also longshanks,
      stiltbird, stilt plover, and lawyer.
      [1913 Webster]

   Note: The American species (Himantopus Mexicanus) is well
         known. The European and Asiatic stilt (Himantopus
         candidus) is usually white, except the wings and
         interscapulars, which are greenish black. The
         white-headed stilt (Himantopus leucocephalus) and the
         banded stilt (Cladorhynchus pectoralis) are found in
         Australia.
         [1913 Webster]

   Stilt plover (Zool.), the stilt.

   Stilt sandpiper (Zool.), an American sandpiper
      (Micropalama himantopus) having long legs. The bill is
      somewhat expanded at the tip.
      [1913 Webster]