90 WILD LIFE ON A NORFOLK ESTUARY 



ways and doings, and our trusty binoculars will assist us 

 to that end. 



Look you ! There are some turnstones five of them 

 flinging over with petulant haste the stranded tangle, and 

 bits of stick and refuse left by the tide. They are hunting 

 for crustaceans, hidden there to feed and to escape the light 

 and air. The shorehopper, first cousin to the sandhopper, is 

 their favourite quest. Whatever cunning they may possess, 

 the faculty of imitation is not a feature with the shore-birds ; 

 you never hear them utter a note but their forbears used it, 

 and their ways and movements are unchangeable. No other 



EXPECTATION. TURNSTONES AND RINGED PLOVER 



bird apes the manners of the turnstone. They may earnestly 

 watch him turning over the drift weed as the farmer's man 

 turns hay, and know with what results ; yet they never " turn- 

 stone " for themselves ; they wait on him, however, and profit 

 by his labours. The dunlin and the ringed plover will rob 

 him or share in the proceeds. I have seen the turnstone lose 

 his temper after successive robberies, and fly away to be rid of 

 his tormentors. 



Watching the birds has become so interesting that we have 

 hurriedly lowered the sail, and run the boat's nose into the 

 mud to anchor awhile and see more of their doings. One 

 cannot lie too closely or conceal himself too carefully. 



