JOURNAL OF .AIAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



35 



parts are more favorable for the food 

 on which they feed, thus compelling the 

 observer to inspect a large territority 

 for the same results as under the con- 

 ditions before mentioned. 



As we lie on the rocks or grass ground 

 which borders the locality, listlessly 

 watching the hazy clouds move across 

 the blue field above. A dreamy stillness 

 pervades the scene, broken only by the 

 softly lippling water on the beach, the 

 hum of a bee, or the stridulatiug of a 

 locust. Suddenly the stillness is broken 

 by the soft piping of birds, causing us 

 to arouse from our dreamy reflections in 

 time to see a dozen or more small birds 

 with rapid, struggling flight, abruptly 

 but graoefullj^ alight on the beach, stand 

 motionless a moment and then commence 

 searching for the minute marine forms 

 on which they feed. We at once recog- 

 nize them to be the Semipalmated Sand- 

 piper ( Ereuneteus pu.sillus). They run 

 hither and thither, each one seemingly 

 trying to find the most in the least time. 



As the tide recedes small stones, over- 

 grown with alg^ with which the beach 

 and flats are strewn, appear. 



These are at once closely inspected, 

 sometimes by so many individuals that 

 the stone is hidden from view. Even 

 when so closely associated, I have never 

 seen them manifest a greedy or quarrel- 

 some manner towards each other. 



If these birds have not been made shy 

 by the persecutions of sportsmen, we 

 may approach quite near to them. I 

 have walked within perhaps ten yards 

 of them, when they would stop their 

 search for food and seem to inquisi- 

 tively watch me with an occasional bob 

 of their heads, and again commence 

 searching for food, as if I were of no 

 consequence. 



If we attempt to come nearer they 

 start off rapidly, looking as if they ran 

 sideways. Should we force ourselves 

 too much upon their company they re- 

 peat these manceuvres, stopping every 

 few yards to see if we are coming too 

 nenr, when if we do not pause, they 

 take wing, alighting a short distance 

 away, repeating these movements until 

 our familiarity causes them to seek 

 some other feeding ground. 



While w^atcliing these birds our atten- 

 tion is again attracted by a shriller call 

 than the first, and a number of larger 

 birds alight with the ones we are watch- 

 ing. These are the Ring-neck or Semi- 

 palmated Plover (Aegialitis semipalma- 

 ta) a much more suspicious s|)ecies than 

 the Ibrmer. Now should we attempt to 

 approach them as we did the Sandpipers 

 they at once stop searching for food, 

 stand motionless a moment, then bob 

 their heads a few times, run rapidly a 

 few yards and abruptly stop, repeating 

 these maiianivres as often as we ap- 

 proach nearer than they care to have us. 

 If we stop walking they again commence 

 searching for food, but instead of not 

 noticing us, as did the Sandpipers, they 

 increase the distance between themselves 

 and us as quickly as possible. Instead 

 of searching the stones as did the form- 

 er, they confine themselves to the sand, 

 each one feeding by itself. Nor do 

 they confine themselves to the minute 

 forms as do the Sandpipers, as I have 

 seen them extract quite a large marine 

 worm from the sand, pulling and swal- 

 lowing until the last end disappeared , 

 it seemingly taking all the strength they 

 possessed to accomplish the feat . 



During the time we have watched 

 these birds the tide has been receding 

 and the higher parts of the flats are be- 



