THE SNIPES AND SNIPPETS. 169 



all waters and not to be mistaken for any other when 

 once you know it. It seems to fancy itself a Wagtail, 

 and since nature has not given it a tail worth wagging, 

 it wags its whole hinder end, constantly and vigorous- 

 ly, tripping merrily about in its own company, for you 

 never see a flock of Sandpipers. When it is frighten- 

 ed it skims away, just over the surface of the water, 

 holding its wings bent like a bow. It is of a greyish 

 brown colour above, but white on the under parts. 

 On each quill feather there is a round white spot, 

 and when the wing is spread in flight these spots 

 arrange themselves into a white band. Of all our 

 cold season birds the Sandpiper is the first to arrive. 

 I have seen it in July. 



The Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis glareola) is quite 

 a distinct bird from the last, not only larger and 

 much darker, but different in its character. I would 

 put it in a different genus if I had the disposal of 

 these matters. It is also solitary, but is seldom found 

 at the seaside, or near any open water. It seeks small 

 ponds and ditches in secluded places. When disturb- 

 ed it rises into the air and flies clean away, with a 

 shrill note of alarm. It is of a dark, smoky colour 

 on all the upper parts, except the lower back and tail, 

 which are white, with narrow black bars on the tail. 

 The under parts are white, streaked on the neck and 

 breast with dusky brown. The third species, which 

 Jerdon calls the Green Sandpiper and says is the 

 commonest of all, does not appear to be so fond of 

 the sea coast as the others and is not a striking bird 

 in any way, so I need not describe it. 



The Greenshanks and Redshanks are very like 

 Sandpipers, but larger. They differ from each other, 



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