204 RAMBLES ABOUT HOME. 



same, and I guess that birds' talk and ours differs just as 

 we differ in our make-up, and not in the natur 5 of it. I've 

 seen enough of birds in my time to make me believe in 

 their talking, anyhow. Well, I got kind o' tired lyin' 

 behind that log with nothing to do, and the tide was 

 comin' in, and I felt like blazin' away at the plovers for 

 spoilin' my day. If I did, I knew the others would be 

 off, and thought perhaps they would come back and the 

 plovers would stay. Not a bit of it. The shot laid over 

 five or six plover and wing-tipped a teeter, and that was 

 all the birds I got that morning. I whistled till my 

 cheeks hurt, but it was no use ; them plovers had cooked 

 my goose for me, and I've always found 'em a cunmV 

 set ever since. Well, it was only a day or two after, I 

 went again to Long Bar to see if any birds were about, 

 but there wasn't. I was sittin' on the button wood when 

 I heard a t peet-weet ' or two, and ducked down, not quite 

 sure what it was. Betimes I was behind the log, four of 

 these little plover was on the other side, and as busy 

 feedin' or lookin' for food as they could be. Now, the 

 tides had washed a little hollow in front of the log, 

 and I'd seen in it a dozen little minnies swimmin' 'round 

 lively and tryin' to get out. You see the tide went out 

 too fast for 'em, and they were caught. "Well, what 

 completely took me aback, was the way these plovers 

 acted. They wanted the minnies, and yet didn't quite 

 know how to get 'em. They chased 'round a bit, but 

 didn't seem to catch any, when, do you believe it, them 

 four plovers just walked in, all abreast, and undertook to 

 corner the little fish. Hang me, if they didn't, though. 

 You've seen a flock of turkeys walk abreast across a field, 

 catch in' grasshoppers ? Well, these little plover just walked 

 through that water as even along as turkeys, only they 

 didn't keep their heads goin' all the time like the turkeys. 



