BIRDS OF THE SALT MARSHES 



visits also the upper regions of the beaches, 

 is the spotted sandpiper or teeter-peep, so 

 named because the adults are spotted and 

 because they all, young and old, have a nerv- 

 ous trick of teetering the body, sending the 

 tail up and down as if it were on springs, and 

 jerking the head and neck in and out. When 

 this is accompanied by short walks back and 

 forth, and by frequent turnings of the body, 

 the effect is almost ludicrous. Their flight 

 with vigorous down-curved wings and alter- 

 nate scaling, is as characteristic as their tee- 

 tering and their loud double whistle. In the 

 spring they often repeat their whistle rapidly 

 while they are flying about on quivering 

 wings— a nuptial song and dance, no doubt. 

 They are interesting birds and would doubt- 

 less increase if the boy with the gun would 

 leave them alone, for they breed back of 

 beaches and on the islands along the coast. 



A near relative of the spotted sandpiper, 

 one that resembles it in many ways, is the 

 solitary sandpiper, frequenter of mud holes 

 in the marsh as far removed as possible from 

 salt water. It teeters, but in a much less ex- 

 uberant manner than its spotted cousin, and, 

 w^hen it flies, its beautiful tail with white 



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