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CHAPTER XVII. 



WADING BIRDS. 



THERE is no portion of the world with which I am acquainted 

 where this family is so largely represented as in America, 

 both in numbers and varieties of species. Along the 

 Atlantic seaboard of the United States, both in spring and 

 autumn, they abound; the interior and coast of New- 

 foundland and Labrador, their principal breeding grounds, 

 fairly swarm with them, while the prairies, at the breaking 

 up of winter, especially on such portions as have been 

 flooded or the grass lately burnt off, are populated with 

 different species in such phalanxes as almost to cause the 

 surface of the soil to appear moving as they rush about in 

 search of the various insects that form their principal 

 food. 



On the coast they afford abundant amusement to those 

 partial to this description of shooting, for they are easily 

 induced to alight among decoys placed within range ot 

 screens or blinds, behind which the gunners are secreted, 

 and so great is the slaughter sometimes made among the 



