TRINGA MINUTILLA, LEAST SANDPIPER. 483 



pretty fable of the drop of water that, complaining to the gods of its 

 utter uselessiiess and insignificance, evaporated into mist, and, distilled 

 as a dew-drop, fell into the open shell of an oyster, to become a pearl 

 that flashed in the coronet of kings. Such exaltation of the little bird 

 as this may never be ; it would be a difficult task, indeed, to select any 

 one of the species and distinguish it from, still less above, the others. 

 Yet who knows just how much even a single one of the birds may feel I 



Fogs hang low aiul heavy over rock-girdled Labrador. Angry waves, 

 palled with rage, exhaust themselves to encroach upon the stern shores, 

 and baffled, sink back howling into the depths. Winds shriek as they 

 course from crag to crag in mad career, till the humble mosses that 

 clothe the rocks crouch lower still in fear. Overhead the Sea Gulls 

 scream as they winnow, and the Murres, all silent, ply eager oars to 

 escape the blast. What is here to entice the steps of the delicate birds ? 

 Yet they have come, urged by resistless impulse, and have made a nest 

 on the ground in some half-sheltered nook. The material was ready 

 at hand, in the mossy covering of the earth, and little care or thought 

 was needed to fashion a little bunch into a little home. Four eggs are 

 laid (they are buffy-yellow, thickly spotted over with brown and drab), 

 with the points together, that they may take up less room and be more 

 warmly covered ; there is need of this, such large eggs belonging to so 

 small a bird. As we draw near the mother sees us, and nestles closer 

 still over her treasures, quite hiding them in the covering of her breast, 

 and watches us with timid eyes, all anxiety for the safety of what is 

 dearer to her than her own life. Her mate stands motionless, but not 

 unmoved, hard by, not venturing even to chirp the note of encourage- 

 ment and sympathy she loves to hear. Alas! hope fades and dies out, 

 leaving only fear; there is no further concealment — we are almost upon 

 the nest — almost trodden upon she springs up with a piteous cry and 

 flies a little distance, realighting, almost beside herself with grief; for 

 she knows only too well what is to be feared at such a time. If there 

 were hope for her that her nest were undiscovered, she might dis.simulate, 

 and try to entice us away by those touching deceits that maternal love 

 inspires. But we are .actually bending over her treasures, and decep- 

 tion would be in vain ; her grief is too great to be witnessed unmoved, 

 still less portrayed ; nor can we, deaf to her beseeching, change it into 

 despair. We have seen and admired the home — there is no excuse for 

 making it desolate ; we have not so much as touched one of the precious 

 eggs, and will leave them to her renewed and patient care. 



This is one verse in the little Sand-bird's life, with the wolf at the 

 door of what would seem the perfect security of an humble home. Now 

 later in the season, when the young birds are grown strong of wing, 

 family joins family, aiul the gathering goes to the sea-beach. Stretches 

 of sand, or pebl)ly shingle, or weed-loaded rocks, or muddy flats be- 

 strewn with wrack, invite, and are visited in turn ; and each yields 

 abundant sustenance. The unsuspecting birds ramble and play heed- 

 lessly in the very front of man, unmindful of, because unknowing, <l:in- 

 ger; they have a sad lesson to learn the coming winter, when they are 

 tormented without stint, and a ])art of their number slaugiitered in 

 more civilized countries for mere sport, or for the morsel of food their 

 bodies may afford. IJlasts fiercer than they ever knew belbie come out 

 of the north ; autumn is ui)on them, and they nuist not wait. Fl(»eks 

 rise on wing, and it is not long before the beaches and the marshes of 

 the Stafes are thronge(l. 



lint exeei)t from ourselves, the birds have little to fear. Their 

 enemies are few, they lead a merry, contented life, and it is no wonder 



