198 BIRDS OF FIELD, FOREST AND PARK 



yellowish, and there are long feathers like 

 plumes pendent on the back of the head, while 

 long and very narrow feathers at the base of the 

 neck form a sort of ruff. The bend of the wing 

 and the leg feathers are chestnut. These birds 

 breed in evergreen trees usually in colonies, the 

 nest being merely a rude platform of sticks 

 high above the ground. In summer they range 

 over North America to Hudson Bay, wintering 

 southward to Cuba. Their only cry is a hoarse 

 '' quawk, quawk^^^ uttered when in flight. 



Spotted Sandpiper. The Spotted Sandpiper 

 is a very familiar bird about our lakes and 

 streams and along the seashore as well. He 

 belongs to a large family of shore birds, among 

 them being many that are regarded as lawful 

 game. This is by far the most common of the 

 family, and in summer his range is very wide. 

 He is a friendly, trustful little fellow, so lovable 

 that he has made a great many friends, of some 

 of whom he may well be proud. That gentle 

 poet, Celia Thaxter, wrote a beautiful little poem 

 on this bird which has been much admired. 



Few sounds are more often heard by the vaca- 

 tionist, who, in boat or canoe, threads our in- 

 land waterways than the plaintive "' tweet, 

 tweeV^ of the Sandpiper. He springs up from 

 the shore just ahead of you, swings out in a 

 wide circle to a point some distance in advance 

 of your craft, and lighting again, runs along 

 shore, halting ever and anon to watch your 

 progress. He has a peculiar teetering or balanc- 

 ing motion of the body which has given him 

 the name of "Steel yard Bird," or "Teeter- 



