86 TOTANUS BARTRAMIUS. 



membrane to the middle, the whole of a rich orange 

 yellow. The female differs little in plumage from the 

 male ; sometimes the vent is slightly dotted with black, 

 and the upper parts more brown. 



Nature seems to have intended this bird as a kind of 

 spy, or sentinel, for the safety of the rest ; and so well 

 acquainted are they with the watchful vigilance of this 

 species, that, while it continues silent among them, the 

 ducks feed in the bogs and marshes without the least 

 suspicion. The great object of the gunner is to escape 

 the penetrating glance of this guardian, which is some- 

 times extremely difficult to effect. On the first whistle 

 of the tell-tale, if beyond gunshot, the gunner abandons 

 his design, but not without first bestowing a few left- 

 handed blessings on the author of his disappointment. 



229. TOTANVS BARTRAMIUS, TEM TRIffOIA BARTRAUIA, WILS. 



BARTRAM'S SANDPIPER. 

 WILSON, PLATE LIX. FIG. II. 



THIS bird being, as far as I can discover, a new 

 gpecies, undescribed by any former author, I have 

 honoured it with the name of my very worthy friend, 

 near whose botanic gardens, on the banks of ihe river 

 Schuylkill, I first found it. On the same meadows, I 

 have since shot several other individuals of the species, 

 and have thereby had an opportunity of making an 

 accurate description of it. 



Unlike most of their tribe, these birds appear to 

 prefer running about among the grass, feeding on 

 beetles, and other winged insects. There were three 

 or four in company; they seemed extremely watchful, 

 silent, and shy, so that it was always with extreme 

 difficulty I could approach them. 



These birds are occasionally seen there during the 

 months of August and September, but whether they 

 breed near I have not been able to discover. Having- 

 never met with them on the sea shore, I am persuaded 

 that their principal residence is in the interior, in 



