376 



CITIZEN BIRD 



■r' 



-Jsmsk^^' 



children tumbled out in their flannel bathing-suits to 

 have a dip before breakfast. Rap, by rolling over and 

 over on the sand, was in the water as soon as Nat ; but 

 they did not venture out far, even though 

 the tide was low, contenting them- 

 selves by splashing about in 

 shallow places. 



Presently Nat spied 



something on the 



stony end of 



the bar that 



stretched out 



at the right of the 



^^g^ / . - - beach, and pointed 



^^l ^ --< _ -*£?.T. it out to Kap, who 



said : ^' They are 

 some sort of birds : 

 you had better get 

 the glass, for even if we could go nearer to them, they 

 would be sure to see us and skip." Then Nat brought 

 the glass and they each took a peep. 



" The bodies are like speckled Pullets', but the heads 

 are like Pigeons' and the legs are very thin," said 

 Rap. "See! there is a different one, ever so much 

 nearer over on this side, but I can't make him out very 

 well. Here comes the Doctor, all ready to go in swim- 

 ming ; of course he can tell us." 



'' Those mottled birds with red legs are Turnstones," 

 said the Doctor, after looking a moment. " They are 

 wading shore birds, who run about the rock bars and 

 sandy beaches, turning over small stones for the food 

 that is hidden underneath. They very seldom come 



Turnstone. 



