A DROLL-LOOKING BABY 151 



hygienic manner, which I never saw a bird 

 do before, and then he splashed for some 

 time. When he came out he beat his wings 

 several times, then ran up on to a higher 

 stone and was still. 



On this stone the wet bird stood as if he 

 were part of it, making not the slightest 

 movement, not even to " teter." Indeed, 

 after I had watched him a long time, I 

 thought I must be mistaken, and that he had 

 slipped away. At least fifteen minutes 

 which seemed an hour he stood there, ap- 

 parently staring into the water, and I thought 

 I had never seen a bird so careless about his 

 toilet. But I did not know him. Suddenly 

 he started up as if he had just thought of it, 

 and began to dress his plumage. This was 

 a work of time. I think I sat there an hour 

 while he worked over those beautiful fea- 

 thers, from top-knot to last tail-feather, es- 

 pecially the silvery-shining breast, and all 

 the time " tipping." 



An infant sandpiper is a droll-looking 

 fellow, with a body measuring an inch and a 

 quarter, not so long as a common mouse, and 

 legs almost as long as his mother's. On 



