88 Twelve Months With 



Shortly the male and female came out of the grass, 

 leaving the little ones in seclusion, and together 

 ran down to the water's edge, apparently quite 

 oblivious of me. They ran about with utter uncon- 

 cern, as much as to say "there is nothing of interest 

 to any one here, you might as well move on," but 

 very soon there began what appeared to be a spir- 

 ited argument between the two birds. They faced 

 each other, and raising their wings straight above 

 their heads "peeped" vigorously at each other. 

 The father bird was doubtless being scolded for 

 not properly looking after his family, and protect- 

 ing them against threatened dangers. But sud- 

 denly the mother bird's anxiety for her young 

 overcame her nonchalant strategy for me, and her 

 anger for her mate, and turning from him, she 

 looked earnestly toward the protecting grass for an 

 instant, and then hurriedly ran into it, evidently 

 concluding, after the argument, that she must take 

 care of the little ones herself. 



The spotted sandpiper is the one commonly seen 

 along the shores of our inland streams, and is eas- 

 ily identified. It is ashy gray on the back, with 

 under parts all white, thickly covered with black 

 spots. Its note sounds like the noise made by a 

 frightened chick, and it always utters this note 

 when it takes flight up or down stream. Its flight 

 is an alternating flutter and soar, somewhat after 

 the fashion of the meadowlark, though more easy 

 and swallow-like. 



