86 
TOTAJSfUS BARTRAMIUS. 
membrane to the middle, the whole of a rich oraU?' 
yellow. The female differs little in plumag-e from 
male ; sometimes the vent is slightly dotted with blat** 
and the upper parts more brown. 
Nature seems to have intended this bird as a kind ? 
spy, or sentinel, for the .safety of the rest ; and so n*: 
acquainted are they with the watchful vigilance of t*’' 
species, that, while it ixmtiuues silent among them, 1^ 
ducks feed in the bogs and marshes without the 
suspicion. The great object of the gunner is to escaf 
the penetrating glance of this guardian, which is soiaf" 
times extremel)f difficult to effect. On the first whis'' 
of the tell-tale, if beyond gunshot, the gunner ahandoj 
his design, but not 'ivithout first bestowing a few 
handed blessings on the author of his disappointmco'' 
229 . TOTAirVS BARTBAMtUS, TEM TBIXGJA BABTBAMIA, 
bartram’s sandpiper. 
WILSON, PLATE LIX. FIG. II. 
This bird being, as far as I can discover, a 
species, undescrihed by any former author, I hav 
honoured it with the name of my very w'orthy frie’’: 
near whose botanic gardens, on the banks of the ri^ | 
Schuylkill, I first found it. On the same mcadofl'^, 
have since shot several other individuals of the spc‘''j 
and have thereby had an opportunity of making 
accurate description of it. ^ 
Unlike most of their tribe, these birds appear , 
prefer running about among the grass, feetliug j 
beetles, and other winged insects. There were thf^ 
or four in company ; they seemed extremely watch'* 
silent, and shy, so that it was alii'ays with extrc 
difficulty I could apjiroach them. |j 
These birds Xre occasionally seen there during 
months of August and September, but whether 
breed near I have not been able to discover, 
never met with them on the sea shore, I am persu* 
that their principal residence is in the interior, 
