THE NORTHERN PHALAROPE 103 



of his brethren, this little bird is found pretty 

 much all through the Northern Hemisphere, 

 spending the summer months far away within 

 the Arctic circle, and in winter migrating even 

 to the tropics. A great traveler for such a 

 small one. He is likely to be found in any part 

 of our continent but favors the sea coast. 

 Flocks of them (''Sea Geese," the sailors call 

 them) are often found resting quietly on the 

 water miles from land and feeding on the insects 

 in the drift stuff. 



I remember how surprised I once was at see- 

 ing what seemed to be three sandpipers paddling 

 about in the water alongside a bridge over a 

 tide water bay. A large amount of the sub- 

 urban travel into Portland, Me., was over this 

 bridge and there was a continual rumble of 

 electrics, heavy teams and lighter vehicles, with 

 plenty of foot passengers also. I stopped to in- 

 vestigate, and as the tide was high and the birds 

 not more than fifteen feet away it was easy to 

 see that the little fellows were Northern Phala- 

 ropes. I watched them for some time as they 

 swam at ease, turning and darting as sailor-like 

 as any of the waterfowl could have done, and 

 only paddling away finally when a small boy, 



