April 



expressive, if not elegant, sobriquet of " tee- 

 tertail " or ''tip-up." The long, thin anat- 

 omy of the waders gives them a somewhat 

 ungainly appearance as compared with the 

 flowing outlines of the land-birds. Yet the 

 water-fowl have a strong and unique fascina- 

 tion, in part doubtless due to the reflection of 

 the water's own mysterious influence. 



The next warbler to arrive was the well- 

 known but always welcome ''black-and-white 

 creeper," whose name is a polysyllabic state- 

 ment of its plumage and method of progression 

 as it scrambles about on the trunks and branches. 

 It seldom occurs to one, as he watches the 

 sprightly movements and graceful posturings of 

 this and so many other species, intent only upon 

 satisfying their hunger, what an incessant and 

 invaluable service they are thus rendering to 

 man himself. We are forced to the conclusion 

 that the feathered tribe is about the most ingen- 

 ious combination of utility and ornament ever 

 devised by the Creator. 



A few feet from where this little fellow uncon- 

 sciously introduced himself to me (I say h'mself 

 purposely, for his graceful complement was lag- 



127 



