THE GRASSBIRD 161 
city conditions are changed, and now, since the 
Grassbirds are the most numerous species of 
the ‘‘bay snipe’’ in New England marshes, as 
a consequence they pay the heaviest tribute to 
the sportsman. On ordinary days of shore- 
bird shooting there are nearly always more of 
this species in the marsh gunner’s game bag 
than of any other. Of course there are never- 
to-be-forgotten days when ‘‘it rained beetle- 
heads,’’ or the ‘‘goldens’’ were out in force, but 
as luck generally runs this statement will hold 
good. Ordinarily there is small difficulty in ap- 
proaching a flock; the younger birds are espe- 
cially tame and even curious, often coming 
within a few yards of a gunner to examine the 
disturber of their peace; but again the old 
campaigner will dash away upon sight with 
loud, derisive whistling and a darting flight, 
like the snipe’s, which, with his smaller size 
makes fully as difficult shooting as does Mr. 
Longbill. 
The Pectoral Sandpiper, as this bird is called 
by the scientist, is a lover of the low-lying wet 
meadows, either of the salt- or fresh-water 
marshes, seldom found on the sea beaches or the 
muddy flats, but when the salt hay has been cut 
