SPOTTED TATLER, OR PEET WEET. 165 



SO that nine times out of ten, they would be overlooked, 

 and only be endangered by the tread, which they would 

 endure sooner than betray their conscious retreat. 



At a later period, the shores and marshes resound with 

 the quick, clear, and oft repeated note of peet ivect, peet 

 weet, followed up by a plaintive call on the young, of j^cet, 

 peet peet ? peet 1 If this is not answered by the scattered 

 brood, a reiterated 'iceet hoeet ^loeet, 'wait 'loait 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 towards eve- 

 ning, 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 in the grass, and utter, from the 

 first a weak plaintive pecj), at length, more frequent and 

 audible ; and, an imitation of the whistle of 'peet tvcet, is 

 almost sure to meet with an answer, from the sympathizing 

 broods which now throng our marshes. When the note aj>- 

 pears to be answered, the parents hurry, and repeat their call 

 with great quickness. The late Mr. William Bartram, so 

 long and happily devoted to the study of nature, with which 

 he delighted to associate, informed Wilson of the spirited 

 defence which one of these Peet Weets made of her young 

 against the attacks of a Ground Squirrel. The place was 

 on the river shore ; the female had thrown herself, with her 

 two young behind her, between them and the land ; and 

 at every attempt of the enemy to seize them by a circuitous 

 sweep, she raised both her wings, almost perpendicularly, 

 and assuming this formidable appearance, rushed towards 

 the squirrel, who intimidated by this show of resistance, in- 

 stantly retreated, but soon returning, was met as before, in 

 front and flank, by the resolute bird, who with her wings 



