. The oist . ; the air is filled with thewarning cries from a colony of Avo-cets, as they circle closely above ourheads; and as we land upon a mud flat, the little Black-necked Stilts risefrom their nests, making their way tothe waters edge, where they flap theirwings, and scold and feign lameness,for where the marsh grass fringes outonto the mud flat, is a slight depres-sion scratched in the ground, contain-ing four greenish-buff eggs boldlymarked with brownish black. This paradise of the water bird af-fords also a refuge for the beautifulSnowy Heron and Egret, which theruthless plume hunter
. The oist . ; the air is filled with thewarning cries from a colony of Avo-cets, as they circle closely above ourheads; and as we land upon a mud flat, the little Black-necked Stilts risefrom their nests, making their way tothe waters edge, where they flap theirwings, and scold and feign lameness,for where the marsh grass fringes outonto the mud flat, is a slight depres-sion scratched in the ground, contain-ing four greenish-buff eggs boldlymarked with brownish black. This paradise of the water bird af-fords also a refuge for the beautifulSnowy Heron and Egret, which theruthless plume hunter has so wantonlyslaughtered. During the last fewyears they have increased in numbers,doubtless because Utah offers themthe protection that until recently theycould not find elsewhere. The Long-billed Curlew is another of the rareshore birds that is bordering upon ex-tinction, owing to the rapid advanceof civilization. Looking through ourfield glasses we see an occasional lonesentinel on duty, guarding his home. Nest of Great Blue Heron (above), nest of Dou-ble Crested Cormorant (below). On an Island inGreat Salt Lake, Utah. THE OOLOQIST 149 where his mate crouches flat withhead and bill prone to the ground,^nd whose protective coloration is soperfect, that except for the alert,beady eyes, she appears but as thedry, sprangling marsh grass. It isdusk as we are making our way backthrough the fields, and we stop for amoment to watch the wonderful song-Pight of the Wilson Snipe, and listento the clear whistle of the Long-billedCurlew. This lovely May day we are on ourway to Saltair, where the Amorita istugging at her anchor. We put off,and a brisk breeze soon takes us toAntelope Island. Herethe bird lifevaries little from the adjacent main-land, so we sail around the northwestend where White Rock rises precipit-ously out of the water. Here is thefirst evidence of the home of the Cali-fornia Gull and the Great Blue Heron,whose nests are built everywhere inthe crevices of the boulders.
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, bookidoist31al, booksubjectbirds
