OTHER VARIETIES 317 



off with a roar of wings and a noisy dripping of water. 

 I remained, hoping some of the ducks would soon re- 

 turn, and as it became light I observed an immense 

 number of shore birds at the edge of the water. There 

 were tattlers, the big and little yellow-legs, sandpipers, 

 plovers of all sizes, and among them were several avo- 

 cets, easily distinguished by their large size. Like 

 feathered giants they stalked about among the smaller 

 birds. 



I could easily have killed a number, but I had heavy 

 loads in the gun and was really out for geese, so did 

 not disturb them at their breakfast. I remained some 

 time to observe them, and then slipped down the bank 

 to arrange a blind nearer the water ; the avocets flew 

 out over the lake a short distance, and returning, 

 alighted near by, elevated their wings for a moment 

 and went to feeding again. It was a warm Indian 

 summer day, the sun shone bright on the placid waters 

 and the geese and ducks did not move about much. 

 My companion went to sleep in his blind, and a pair of 

 mallards which settled to his decoys were undisturbed 

 until I fired a long shot at them from my ambush. 

 My companion jumped up in time to see the mallards 

 depart, and the shore birds whistled and peeped, and 

 ran or flew short distances, soon to return to their 

 favorite feeding spots. I shot a few ducks during 

 the day, but did not point the gun at the shore birds. 

 How different the conditions East and West ! How 

 long would a big avocet remain unmolested near a 

 blind on the Atlantic Coast ? 



The avocets are good swimmers, and when wounded 

 often take to the water. The flesh is fairly good, about 



