192 BIRD-LAND ECHOES. 



where they decide to nest About the little hollow 

 in the grass where their precious eggs are laid they 

 hover with amusing solicitude, and their anxiety is 

 unbounded when the eggs are hatched, for fear that 

 some mishap will occur to the funny little "teeters" 

 that for some hours have enough to do to keep upon 

 their legs. They learn quickly by imitation, how- 

 ever, and can soon run through the thickest growths 

 of grass with amazing rapidity. 



Of the whole group of wading birds, this spotted 

 sand-piper, the pretty "teeter," is the only one that 

 even approaches familiarity with the belongings of 

 man. It alone comes within hailing distance of the 

 house, and, when encouraged, will even balance it- 

 self on the edge of the long water-trough in the 

 barn-yard. It finds a convenient feeding-ground in 

 the little, babbling brook that leisurely trickles from 

 the spring-house, is hardly disturbed when the milk- 

 maid trips down the path from the kitchen, and hops 

 but to another stone or two if she pauses with her 

 armload of pans. I used to think that the sand- 

 pipers knew this young woman and looked upon her 

 as half a friend ; I know that she often watched 

 these lively, light-footed birds and longed to possess 

 as airy a step as theirs. No matter how much we 

 may preach of the eternal fitness of things, this 

 water-bird seems never out of place. It will jour- 

 ney up and down our old worm-fences, perching on 

 every outstanding post, and yet lose nothing of the 

 grace that it shows when resting on a slippery, 

 shining stone just peeping above the rippled sur- 



