SEMIPALMATED SNIPE. 
81 
through the salt marshes. The young are covered 
with a grey-coloured down ; run off soon after they 
leave the shell ; and are led and assisted in their search 
of food by the mother, while the male keeps a continual 
watch around for their safety. 
The anxiety and affection manifested by these birds 
for their eggs and young, are truly interesting. A 
person no sooner enters the marshes, than he is beset 
by the willets, flying around and skimming over his 
head, vociferating with great violence their common 
cry of pill-will-willet ; and uttering at times a loud 
clicking note, as he approaches nearer to their nest. 
As they occasionally alight, and slowly shut their long 
white wings speckled with black, they have a mournful 
note, expressive of great tenderness. During the term 
of incubation, the female often resorts to the sea shore, 
where, standing up to the belly in water, she washes 
and dresses her plumage, seeming to enjoy great satis- 
faction from these frequent immersions. She is also 
at other times seen to wade more in the water than 
most of her tribe ; and, when wounded in the wing, 
will take to the water without hesitation, and swims 
tolerably well. 
The eggs of the wiilet, in every instance which has 
Come under my observation, are placed, during incu- 
bation, in an almost upright position, with the large 
end uppermost ; and this appears to be the constant 
practice of several other species of birds that breed in 
these marshes. During the laying season, the crows 
are seen roaming over the marshes in search of eggs, 
and wherever they come, spread consternation and 
alarm among the willets, who, in united numbers, 
attack and pursue them with loud clamours. It is 
worthy of remark, that, among the various birds that 
breed in these marshes, a mutual respect is paid to 
each other’s eggs ; and it is only from intruders on the 
land side, such as crows, jays, weasels, foxes, minx, and 
man himself, that these affectionate tribes have most to 
dread. 
The wiilet subsists chiefly on small shell fish, marine 
VOL. in. F 
