SHORE BIRDS 137 



especially during the breeding season. It is a common 

 occurrence, however, to meet with a solitary bird feeding 

 on the sandy beach of our large inland lakes, or on the 

 edges of marshes. They often breed in small colonies. 



AVillets are beautiful birds when on the wing. Their 

 flight is strong, and the black and white effect is a con- 

 spicuous field mark. Their food consists of small insects 

 and aquatic life, which they obtain from the surface of the 

 ground in both wet and dry places. 



The bird takes its name from the clear, flute-like notes, 

 which are uttered in syllables sounding like " Pill-will-wil- 

 let, Pilly-willy-willet ! " repeated in rapid succession. 



The western willet is found nesting on the prairies 

 of Minnesota, Dakota, and Manitoba. Unless the parent 

 bird has been sitting upon her eggs for some daj'^s, she 

 vacates the n^st at the slightest indication of danger and 

 approaches the intruder from the opposite direction. The 

 nests, are therefore, very difficult to find, unless the eggs 

 are well incubated, when the mother sits close, vacating her 

 nest when the intruder is almost upon her. The nests are 

 often built in clumps of grass where the water is a few 

 inches deep, or on a grassy slope of tableland overlooking 

 the water. 



On Mustang Island, in the Gulf of Mexico, the western 

 willet breeds in colonies. Arriving on the island, the 

 ornithologist is greeted from all sides by the male birds cir- 

 cling about overhead, calling so incessantly that the intruder 

 hears nothing else until he leaves the island, and the birds 

 settle down into the marsh grass to resume their nesting. 

 The four handsome, pear-shaped eggs vary greatly in color. 



