THE NORTHERN PHALAROPE 103 
of his brethren, this little bird is found pretty 
much all through the Northern Hemisphere, 
spending the summer months far away within 
the Arctic circle, and in winter migrating even 
to the tropics. A great traveler for such a 
small one. He is likely to be found in any part 
of our continent but favors the sea coast. 
Flocks of them (‘‘Sea Geese,’’ the sailors call 
them) are often found resting quietly on the 
water miles from land and feeding on the insects 
in the drift stuff. 
I remember how surprised I once was at see- 
ing what seemed to be three sandpipers paddling 
about in the water alongside a bridge over a 
tide water bay. A large amount of the sub- 
urban travel into Portland, Me., was over this 
bridge and there was a continual rumble of 
electrics, heavy teams and lighter vehicles, with 
plenty of foot passengers also. I stopped to in- 
vestigate, and as the tide was high and the birds 
not more than fifteen feet away it was easy to 
see that the little fellows were Northern Phala- 
ropes. I watched them for some time as they 
swam at ease, turning and darting as sailor-like 
as any of the waterfowl could have done, and 
only paddling away finally when a small boy, 
