73

73
1898
May 18
brilliant yellow and his bill was dark
and long. We watched them long and
discussed their movements and coloring
when suddenly they began to call loudly.
Others were heard farther off, and
they all rose in a flock of sixteen
and gracefully sailed about uttering
their musical cries. They again lit not
far off, and nothing could exceed the
grace of their movements on alighting.
The tips of their outstretched wings
met over the back ere they were
daintily folded. For over half an
hour we were among these birds
and it was a pretty contrast to see
three little Least Sandpipers light
amongst them. A little later we
saw some Semi-palmated Sandpipers
on a small mud flat and we drifted
on to them till our boat stopped against
the mud, but a few feet away. We saw
them as plainly as if they were in our
hands.

I was very loathe to leave all this
scene but I had to think of my train
and my return, so we floated down