BIRDS OF THE HUMBER DISTRICT. 141 



of ' warp ' like a Sandpiper. On my moving forward 

 it again entered the water, diving further up the drain, 

 issuing as before on to the f warp/ but this time under 

 the opposite bank ; the dive was again repeated, when 

 I lost sight of it round a sharp bend in the stream. 

 For the next ten minutes I stood at this corner, 

 vainly looking both up and down the drain for its re- 

 appearance, and had nearly given it up when I caught 

 sight of the little creature directly opposite, and with- 

 in a few feet so near, that had I reached forward I 

 might have touched it with the gun-muzzle. No 

 wonder that I had overlooked it ; for it had now ex- 

 actly the appearance of a small lump of earth fallen 

 from the bank ; the whole of its body was sunk below 

 the water, excepting the upper part of the back and 

 head from just below the eyes, which were level with 

 the surface ; the bill and fore part of the forehead also 

 immersed, the water covering the hind part of the 

 neck between the back and head. The deception 

 was perfect ; and had I not been specially looking, I 

 might have passed the place scores of times without 

 noting any thing unusual. As it was, I had stood 

 within a few feet for several minutes, and had passed 

 my eyes over and over again across the place without 

 finding it. Once, and once only, it raised its head, 

 and immediately afterwards dived, going under very 

 quietly and leaving hardly a ripple ; this time I saw 

 it emerge on the drain side about the same distance, 

 namely twenty yards. Just then a flight of Plover 



