Shore-bird Shooting 379 



is placed on the ground, nicely concealed in moss 

 or grass, near water. The female, if disturbed, 

 feigns wounded, endeavoring to distract the atten- 

 tion of the intruder, and, if not frightened, re- 

 turning almost at once to her nest. The downy 

 young are pretty little fellows, mottled with black 

 and bright rufous above, the down tipped with 

 silvery white, and as they struggle among the 

 grass stems remind one of so many large beetles. 

 By July they care for themselves. Toward the 

 middle and end of the month, flocks of least sand- 

 pipers in company with the semipalmated sand- 

 pipers, their close companions, and ring-necked 

 plover appear along our coast. These birds con- 

 gregating in vast numbers are universally known 

 as "peep." Generally unmolested they are gentle 

 and tame, allowing close approach, often coming 

 up on to the blind itself if the occupant is still. 

 While seen everywhere on the shore, this variety 

 seems to prefer the scum-covered pools on the 

 marshes, remaining after the other sandpipers 

 have left to follow the falling tide. Here they 

 feed on insects and animalcul^e which abound, 

 generally in flocks, for they are sociable little 

 chaps, when frightened taking wing and quickly 

 closing together in a compact mass which too 

 often attracts a shot from some wanton gun. The 

 flight is speedy and graceful, the birds turning 

 and wheeling at the same instant, so that now the 



