A DAY ON THE BAY SHORE 



ramble, although it is most common during a short period of 

 the spring and autumn, while migrating from its far northern 

 summer home to southern regions. It is the red phalarope, a 

 bird very much like the dunlin in build and general appearance, 

 but which may be instantly known from any sandpiper by the 

 fact that it habitually swims upon the water instead of wading. 

 Its toes are slightly webbed at the base like the toes of the semi- 

 palmated sandpiper, and it is further provided for swimming 

 by a series of loose flaps or lobes on the under side of the toes. 

 This bird and another of the family, the northern phalarope, 

 are both found about the bay shore and sometimes out on the 

 water far from land. They are especially fond of the pools 

 and inlets about the bay, where they may at times be seen in 

 great numbers, the former species being by far the most numer- 

 ous. They have one habit which I believe is unique among 

 birds, and which serves to mark them even at a considerable 

 distance. Every now and then, while swimming about, they 

 will stop and whirl around in the water several times, almost 

 as if revolving upon a pivot. I have never been able to ascer- 

 tain the meaning of this singular trick, which always impresses 

 me as an absurd, though graceful, performance. The phala- 

 ropes are, indeed, among the most interesting of the shore 

 birds to me on account of their light, dainty, graceful ways, 

 and their structure, so similar to that of a wader and yet 

 adapted to the habits of a swimmer. To see them gracefully 

 picking up tiny marine life from the surface of the water with 

 their long, fine, black bills, one might fancy them veritable 

 water sprites. The red phalarope in winter plumage is simply 

 but chastely colored, with a back of ashy gray, becoming 

 darker on the wings, which are marked by a white bar, and a 



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