214 
WILD WINGS 
shallow, muddy slough, on Memorial Day, I saw a t} 4 Dical 
and beautiful sight. The soft, muddy shores and the shallow 
water were dotted all over with shore-birds wading about and 
having a most happy time. Largest and most conspicuous, 
save for two or three Wdllets, were a number of fine Black- 
bellied and Golden Plovers in s])lendid plumage. Near them 
were Dowitchers, with their ruddy under parts of the spring 
dress, and some Yellow-legs, as well as a varied proletariat 
of the smaller siDCcies, — \Mrite-rumped, Semipalmated, and 
Least Sandpipers, Ring-necks, and a few Solitary Tatlers and 
Killdeers. It was a glorious day, spicy with the crisp ozone 
of the prairies. How could 1 but be exhilarated ! Along with 
the migrants one also continually sees the limicoline species 
that remain to breed, — L'pland Plovers, Killdeers, Mdllets, 
Great Marbled Godwits, Wilson’s Phalaropes, Piping Plovers, 
and Avocets, the aggregate of which would make well worth 
while a spring trip to the prairies of the West, even if the only 
bird-life were that of the shore-birds. 
In these degenerate davs of waning numbers of shore- 
birds in our Northern Atlantic States, it will greatly revive 
the bird-lover’s drooping spirits and stimulate his faith 
that it is not yet too late to save the shore-birds, to take 
a trip along the coasts of our Southern States in beautiful 
May. It is prettv hot then, but never mind, it will pay to 
go. Aside from the breeding shore-birds, the abundance of 
the migrants is a revelation. I was charmed with the gentle 
Red-backed SandjDipers, in their beautiful spring plumage, 
with the black abdomen, so dift'erent from our “ Lead-back ” 
of the late fall. Thev were so tame I was sometimes able 
to creep up near enough to them, on the open fiats and 
shores, to secure quite satisfactory pictures with the reflex 
camera. Then there were the Dowitchers, Knots, and Turn¬ 
stones in their gav habiliments, with the Black-bellied and 
