402 The Water-fowl Family 



same locations. On the adjacent mainland and the 

 shores farther south the birds are seldom met with, 

 and then only as odd stragglers. Where they stop 

 next and what their course is on departing is a 

 mystery. Probably they keep well out to the 

 open sea, and along with the golden plover wisely 

 skip the United States in the fall flight south. 



On the islands where these birds congregate 

 they frequent the large open lagoons where the 

 low tide leaves exposed miles of sand-bars. Here 

 they follow the water's edge and wade in up to 

 the full length of their long legs, feeding on ani- 

 malculae and small larvae for which their bill is 

 peculiarly adapted, having the same flexible tip as 

 that of the Wilson's snipe. With the rising 

 water, first the small sandpipers, then the larger 

 birds, are driven from the flats ; last of all the god- 

 wit. They start in flocks of from ten to twenty 

 and keep well in the centre of the lagoon, flying 

 over the flooded flats, avoiding carefully all land, 

 even the farthest points and islands. 



The long black lines of birds undulating in 

 their flight can readily be distinguished from any 

 other shore-bird. They have a very dark appear- 

 ance. In a short half-hour the last flocks have 

 passed and there is no further flight until the 

 next tide. At high water they congregate on 

 the upper beaches, well out of reach of any dis- 

 turber. For a long time it was impossible to 



