The Pectoral Sandpiper 
pleasing alternation of 
flashing white, when the 
underparts are exposed, 
and somber gray, when 
the backs appear. While 
on the wing, the birds 
keep up a cross-fire of 
peculiar, wild, creaking 
notes; but upon alight¬ 
ing, they scatter widely 
in search of food and 
are mainly silent. They 
both glean and probe on 
land, or wade about bus¬ 
ily in the grassy plashes. 
At the approach of dan¬ 
ger the waders will often 
crouch low upon the 
ground in the hope of 
escaping observation. 
In the autumn, when 
each individual shifts for 
itself, the bird is said to 
lie well to a dog; and 
upon being flushed it 
moves off with a rapid zigzag flight much admired by the knights of the 
reeking tube. 
Very interesting accounts of the breeding habits of these birds in 
their Alaskan home reach us through the pen of Mr. E. W. Nelson. Ac¬ 
cording to this careful observer, the males are able to distend the loosened 
skin of the breast, inflating it, together with the esophagus, with air 
until it becomes nearly as large as the rest of the body. With these 
absurd appendages they run up and down before the females, or essay 
strange sallies in the air. While engaged in these attempts to win 
attention, they utter notes which are hollow and resonant, but at the 
same time liquid and musical, and may be represented by a repetition 
of the syllables too-u, too'-n, too'-u. 
Taken in Santa Barbara 
Photo by the Author 
A DINNER GUEST 
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