64 THE GAME BIRDS 
this color being broken by each feather being 
tipped with dirty white; breast and belly 
reddish-brown ; tail gray, edged with white, 
short and even; bill stout and greenish-black ; 
legs same color; eyes dark brown; extent 20 
inches; length 103 inches. 
One of our handsomest shore birds, inhabit- 
ing almost the whole world. In this country 
most common on the eastern coast, becoming 
rare westward, about the great rivers and 
lakes. The young birds are gray, marked 
with white above, and white, with a tinge of 
reddish, below. The markings on the back 
remind one of a succession of black and white 
semicircles. ‘The spring migration passes lat. 
40° N. about May, and returns early in 
August, at which time they are very fat, and 
a bonne bouche for an epicure. They feed on 
shell-fish and marine crustaceans, which the 
pick up on the flats at low tide. They follow 
the flow of the waves upon the beach, running 
back and forth vivaciously, and not seeming 
to mind when they were not quick enough 
to avoid an incoming wave, which took them 
from their feet and floated them along. The 
call of two sharp notes — ** Wheep, wheep ” 
—is easily imitated, and they will often come 
within range, without blinds or decoys. 
