86 
TOTANUS BARTRAMIUS. 
membrane to the middle, the whole of a rich orang’d 
yellow. The female differs little in plumage from the 
male ; sometimes the vent is slightly dotted with black, 
and the upper parts more brown. 
Nature seems to have intended this bird as a kind of 
spy, or sentinel, for the safety of the rest ; and so well 
acquainted are they with the watchful vigilance of this 
species, that, while it continues silent among them, the 
ducks feed in the bogs and marshes without the least 
suspicion. The great object of the gunner is to escape 
the penetrating glance of this guardian, which is some- 
times extremely difficult to effect. On the first whistle 
of the tell-tale, if beyond gunshot, the gunner abandons 
his design, but not without first bestowing a few left- 
handed blessings on the author of his disappointment. 
229 . TOTANUS BARTRAMIUS , TEM. TRINGIA BARTRAMIA, WILS. 
bartram’s sandpiper. 
« 
WILSON, PLATE LIX. FIG. II. 
This bird being, as far as I can discover, a new 
species, undescribed by any former author, I have 
honoured it with the name of my very worthy friend, 
near whose botanic gardens, on the banks of the river 
Schuylkill, I first found it. On the same meadows, I 
have since shot several other individuals of the species, 
and have thereby had an opportunity of making an 
accurate description of it. 
Unlike most of their tribe, these birds appear to 
prefer running about among the grass, feeding oil 
beetles, and other winged insects. There were three 
or four in company; they seemed extremely watchful, 
silent, and shy, so that it was always with extreme 
difficulty I could approach them. 
These birds are occasionally seen there during the 
months of August and September, but whether they 
breed near I have not been able to discover. Having 
never met with them on the sea shore, I am persuaded 
that their principal residence is in the interior, in 
