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peculiarity of rocking itself backwards and forwards, a habit often 
indulged in by the Yellow-leg. These Spotted Sandpipers keep 
by preference to the rocky and pebbly shores and are very com¬ 
mon along the Ocean drive. They are never found in flocks and 
have a characteristic flight which enables one to identify them at 
a long distance. They lay four eggs, which, like the eggs of the 
Sandpipers in general, are very large in proportion to the size of 
the bird. 
There are several species of Heron which visit Newport in 
summer, first the American Bittern which I have met with 
on the marsh at Easton’s pond, then the Night Heron which 
a few years ago might be seen in early summer standing in medi¬ 
tative attitudes on the edges of the Dumpling rocks, while ever 
on the alert to capture a passing fish, but which seems to have 
disappeared from them the last year or two. Tnen there is the 
common Green Heron and a very curious little species, the Least 
Bittern, which, though resembling in many of its habits others of 
its family, hides itself among the reeds like the Common Rail. It 
is very rare in other parts of New England, but is not uncom¬ 
monly met with here. Mr. LaFarge, who has found several 
of their nests, tells me that on one occasion he was able to 
approach so closely to one of these birds which was sitting near 
its nest as to stroke it with his hand, and at Lake Koshkonong in 
Wisconsin where these birds are very common, I have known of 
one lighting for an instant on a dog’s back. 
Those very curious birds, the Phalaropes, have also been 
shot here; they are members of a family of birds which 
resemble miniature ducks, as they light upon the water and 
swim with perfect ease, though they walk about also on 
marshy ground or floating vegetable matter. A specimen 
of the Northern Phalarope was shot by Mr. F. W. Rhine¬ 
lander, Jr., August 30th, 1876, and a Wilson’s Phalarope 
was shot by Mr. F. T. Jencks, August 2d, 1SS0. The Phalaropes 
usually keep oft'the coast while migrating, and seldom are met 
with in New England unless they have been driven in by a storm. 
In September the Ducks and many other web-footed birds 
begin to appear and remain until May, a few being sometimes 
seen even in summer. Of the fresh water Ducks, some of which 
are found however in the bay, we have the common Black Duck, 
