A CALIFORNIA BEACH 



first instant I thought they might be catching 

 low-flying insects such as swarm here and there 

 about patches of seaweed or on the edge of 

 shallow still water. " Bravo ! " said I, when I 

 discovered my mistake ; " you have shown me 

 something new." 



On the same occasion I noticed, what I had 

 often noticed before, their strong propensity for 

 standing and running (hopping, I ought to say, 

 I suppose, lest some youthful critic, shocked at 

 my ignorance, should esteem it his duty to set 

 me right) on one leg. Sometimes half the flock 

 will be thus engaged. And the wonder is that 

 they get over the ground almost or quite as 

 quickly on one leg as on two. At any rate, they 

 keep up with the procession, — which is the 

 principal aim of most of us, — no matter how 

 fast it is moving. 



Just why sanderlings, or any other birds, 

 should habitually balance themselves thus in 

 sleep or when at rest, is more than I have ever 

 seen explained or been able myself to divine. A 

 swan, say, with its big body and long neck, or a 

 tall heron, born to go on stilts, or a caged canary 

 — how have they come to find this unnatural- 

 looking, awkward-looking, difficult-looking, Sim- 

 eon-Stylites-like attitude the acme of comfort ? 



Fancy yourself trying it to-night instead of 

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