Shore-bird Shooting 375 



pactly in a black mass, turning and twisting in 

 unison ; now the white breasts gleam in the light, 

 the next second the dark backs and white rumps, 

 a spot that always marks them. They have no 

 fear, and should a flock light among the decoys 

 the birds sometimes come on to the seaweed blind, 

 paying no heed to the occupant, provided he 

 remain motionless. When startled they all rise 

 together and with a rush of wings are off, utter- 

 ing their note, a sharp tseet. All through August 

 these birds remain and then diminish in numbers 

 as the flight south is resumed. They are common 

 all along our coast, but not in the same vast flocks 

 as in the North. The southern migration extends 

 along both coasts of South America as far south 

 as Chili and the Argentine Republic. The young 

 birds follow in September and often linger late on 

 our shores. I have killed them late in November 

 on Long Island. The spring flight north is mostly 

 through the interior, although limited numbers 

 follow along the Atlantic Coast. May is the 

 month for their return. Throughout the Barren 

 Grounds they breed as far north as the shores of 

 the Arctic Sea. The nest is a shallow depression 

 on the ground, and three or four eggs are laid on 

 the moss or leaves, if leaves there be. The young 

 are hatched in late June, and by July are deserted 

 by the old birds. 



