214 Moore, Least Sandpiper in the Magdalen Islands. [April 



It is surprisingly easy to get on friendly terms with them and, once 

 a friendly relation is established, the revelation of life-secrets 

 follows as a natural consequence. 



The birds do not flush directly from the nest like many ground- 

 nesting species, but invariably walk or run fifteen feet or more, 

 before flying. This habit was characteristic of all five brooding 

 birds, particularly at the time of nest-discovery. Later it was 

 modified by increasing familiarity, indeed two birds became so 

 tame that they would not leave, unless threatened with foot or 

 hand. With them flight was a premeditated action, rarely incited 

 by fear. The customary response to the stimulus of man's pres- 

 ence was as follows: At a distance of fifteen feet from me the 

 brooder would raise itself an inch from the nest and watch my 

 approach. If my movement was extremely slow, it would drop 

 back on the eggs, but at my third or fourth step later would rise 

 again and walk a foot away, stop, and gaze at me doubtfully. 

 This action was performed in erect attitude with no attempt to 

 crouch or conceal. The next move was to run swiftly off fifteen 

 or twenty feet and launch into flight (sometimes accompanied by 

 song), provided it was the initial meeting. If she was used to me, 

 she would circle about among the hummocks approaching again 

 from various directions. At this point, if I remained motionless, 

 she would invariably return by short running hitches and boldly 

 gather the eggs under her. My next step would start her again 

 and a sudden movement would produce one of two results : Either 

 she would flutter up a few feet into the air, like a slow-flapping 

 moth, and drop again a few feet ahead, or else she would trail and 

 vibrate the "broken wing." All the birds used the latter trick 

 at one time or other, but they did so sporadically, rarely employ- 

 ing it at the moment of leaving the nest. A marked feature of 

 this manoeuvre was the wide-spreading of the tail fan-shaped, 

 showing a conspicuous amount of white. A supplementary action 

 was to grovel in some mud-depression and flutter the half-shut 

 wings rapidly for several seconds, or else to slide slowly forwards 

 on the belly. During this performance a high call-note was 

 constantly uttered resembling the cries of young birds. (Call 

 record No. 1.) 



So far the actions described were common to each Least Sand- 



