190 AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



I also have a clear recollection of my first visits to the seaside and 

 and the pleasure experienced on seeing the.many new birds to be met 

 with there. The beautiful Gulls and Terns were plentiful, and their 

 graceful flight — ever and anon dipping their wings into the great waves, 

 was noted and stored away in memory's store-house. I remember 

 spending many pleasant hours watching the little Sandpipers. How 

 graceful they were, and with what dexterity they captured their food; 

 how well they measured the distance which an in-coming breaker would 

 reach, and how nimbly they chased after it on its return back to deep 

 water, in the meantime gathering up many choice morsels which had 

 been cast up on the beach; ever keeping a watchful eye on the next 

 roller which was rapidly approaching. They ran very swiftly and usu- 

 ally depended on this mode of escape, but should the wave come too 

 swiftly for them, they rose a short distance in the air and would then 

 alight out of the water's reach. While feeding they continually uttered 

 their pleasant "peep peep," and their pretty white and gray plumage 

 presented a pleasing contrast against the deep green of the sea. 



I wish to add in closing, as a tribute to my mother, that she always 

 accompanied me on my first little rambles beyond the home limit; many 

 were the pleasant strolls we took, hand in hand, gathering flowers, list- 

 ening to the happy songs of the birds and watching their ways. Her 

 instruction and training in nature's book, doubtless laid the foundation 

 of my devotion to the study of these things in later years. Did she 

 not teach me the names of the birds, call my attention to the gorgeous 

 sunsets, to the Bow of Promise spanning the sky, to the squirrels and 

 other little animals of the woods, to the rippling brook splashing over 

 its pebbles and golden sands; did she not teach me to love and admire 

 God's creatures and not kill or destroy them? Happy days, never to 

 be forgotten; little friendships, never broken. 



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BACHMAN WARBLER. I 



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A O. U. No. 640. (Helminthophila bachmanii. ) 



RANGE. 



Southeastern United States, north on the Atlantic coast to Virginia 

 and in the interior to Missouri where they are known to breed. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Length 4.5 in. Male. — Forehead, underparts and shoulders bright 

 yellow. Back and wings greenish olive; hindneck and tail gray. Top 

 of head and patch on the breast black. Outer tail feathers with white 

 spots near their tips. 



