Birds by Land and Sea 



and white below, with a wash of light-brown on 

 the upper breast, deepening until cut off in a sharp 

 line below. He runs nimbly at the water's edge, 

 using his long bill to probe the soft mud. He 

 wades in the shallower water, but, although reputed 

 to be an expert swimmer and diver, prefers to pass 

 some narrow neck of deeper water by skirting it on 

 the bank to entering it and swimming across. As 

 he takes wing and flits along stream, crying " Wheet ! 

 wheet ! wheel ! " the white of the outer tail-feathers 

 and the white bars on the wings are conspicuous. 

 The flight is a quick fluttering, the pointed wings 

 half drooping ; but when alarmed he plies them 

 vigorously, and, flying low to the water, skims on 

 level wings ere landing, at which time the wings 

 are held aloft, exposing the white under sides. 



A little party of six birds remained with us in 

 the marshy tract adjoining the Mersey until the 

 nth May, and then left us, as I thought at the 

 time. During that time their musical piping might 

 be heard at any hour of the day and far into the 

 gloaming ; for the broad sheet of water they fre- 

 quented, by reflecting the waning light, served to 

 prolong the day for these lively little waders. Very 

 entertaining were their pipings in the quiet hour. 

 Now and again some belated wanderer came in 

 from the river, piping out for company, at which 

 his fellows, gathered in a little group by the reeds 

 at the water's edge, raised a clamorous welcome. 

 At last, when all the stray birds had been whistled 



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