394 The Water-fowl Family 



running just in front of the wave; if startled, 

 circling out over the breakers, to turn in and feed 

 again farther down the beach. We often see 

 them on the sand-bars of bays and lagoons, gath- 

 ered in large flocks, and ready to take wing at 

 any provocation. On the mud flats they are less 

 common, and marshes seldom attract. Early 

 August is the time to look for sanderling. The 

 birds are short sojourners, and generally by the 

 middle of the month are gone, to be followed a 

 little later by the young birds, the first of which 

 arrive by the end of the month and remain into 

 September. Their plumage is different from the 

 adult, and has a soft, attractive appearance, the 

 snowy white of the breast and the gray and black 

 markings of the back affording a pleasing com- 

 bination. The young are very tame, and, though 

 small, are killed regularly along the coast. In 

 the spring, early May finds the sanderling along 

 our shores in more limited numbers than in the 

 fall, but still in many localities abundant. 



The breeding plumage varies considerably, from 

 a white on the breast to a rich, reddish brown, 

 mottled and speckled with dark, a handsome dress. 

 By June, far beyond our reach, in the seclusion of 

 the Arctic regions, they breed, and in a short six 

 weeks are ready to leave their young and begin 

 the long trip south. The nest has not frequently 

 been taken. One, and the first, found by MacFar- 



