THE GRASSBIED 161 



city conditions are changed, and now, since the 

 Grassbirds are the most numerous species of 

 the **bay snipe" in New England marshes, as 

 a consequence they pay the heaviest tribute to 

 the sportsman. On ordinary days of shore- 

 bird shooting there are nearly always more of 

 this species in the marsh gunner's game bag 

 than of any other. Of course there are never- 

 to-be-forgotten days when ''it rained beetle- 

 heads," or the "goldens" were out in force, but 

 as luck generally runs this statement will hold 

 good. Ordinarily there is small difficulty in ap- 

 proaching a flock; the younger birds are espe- 

 cially tame and even curious, often coming 

 within a few yards of a gunner to examine the 

 disturber of their peace; but again the old 

 campaigner will dash away upon sight with 

 loud, derisive whistling and a darting flight, 

 like the snipe's, which, with his smaller size 

 makes fully as difficult shooting as does Mr. 

 Longbill. 



The Pectoral Sandpiper, as this bird is called 

 by the scientist, is a lover of the low-lying wet 

 meadows, either of the salt- or fresh-water 

 marshes, seldom found on the sea beaches or the 

 muddy flats, but when the salt hay has been cut 



