84 In Touch with Nature. 



Before a day's outing has well advanced, nature, 

 as a whole, proves bewildering. It cannot be long- 

 continued in its entirety without fatigue, and the 

 mind soon sinks to the level of specific observation. 

 It is first a matter of choice, and then follows the 

 exquisite pleasure of deciphering the purport of a 

 single object. It was by mere chance, but, when 

 again afloat, a spotted sand-piper passed very near 

 and turned to look at me as it crossed the boat's 

 bow. I caught the gay creature's bright and 

 beady eye, and nodded in friendly recognition. I 

 followed its course until lost in the glitter of dis- 

 tant ripples, and gave thought then only to these 

 familiar birds as seen to-day and in years gone by. 

 They are here now ahead of time. Ten days of 

 summer weather and a waxing moon have wooed 

 them northward, and, while May is almost a week 

 off, they are hunting in their old-time haunts and 

 threading the green pastures where they nested a 

 year ago. It is strange that this bird is so little 

 appreciated. There are even human fiends who 

 eat them. Because they are not noisy like robins, 

 or do not chatter and scold like Jenny Wren, the 

 world gives them the go-by. 



