. The American natural history : a foundation of useful knowledge of the higher animals of North America . Natural history. SNIPE, SAND-PIPER AND CURLEW 253 the Least Sand-Piper,1—a trifle more minute, and with no web at the base of its toes. At a distance of ten feet the two species look precisely alike, and there is no need to worry about an exact identification. They are also called "Peeps," and "Ox-eyes," and the toes of the Semipalmated Sand-Piper are partly webbed. As the green-topped surf dashes to pieces on the pebbles, and goes sliding in a silvery sheet up the yel
. The American natural history : a foundation of useful knowledge of the higher animals of North America . Natural history. SNIPE, SAND-PIPER AND CURLEW 253 the Least Sand-Piper,1—a trifle more minute, and with no web at the base of its toes. At a distance of ten feet the two species look precisely alike, and there is no need to worry about an exact identification. They are also called "Peeps," and "Ox-eyes," and the toes of the Semipalmated Sand-Piper are partly webbed. As the green-topped surf dashes to pieces on the pebbles, and goes sliding in a silvery sheet up the yellow sand, you will notice just above its frothy edge a flock of little gray sprites, their tiny legs twinkling as they patter swiftly over the smooth floor. Sometimes the sliding sheet of water overtakes them. If it is nearly spent, they mind it not; but if the rush is too strong, up springs the flock, all members at the same instant, and with quick flashes of light gray wings, it skims the surf-sheets or the sand, to a point farther on. The unison of action in the rising, flight, and landing of the flock is as perfect as if each little pair of wings were worked by the same wires. How does each bird know the impulses of all the others? Watch them, and see if you can guess the secret. At the sea-shore I never weary of watching these busy little creatures, and never fail to be amused by the twinkling of their tiny legs as. WILSON S SNIPE. they run before the water. As the sheet of surf recedes, down they run after it, to pick up whatever of insect or other edible animal life 1 Ac-to-dro'mas min-u-til'la. Average length, inches. it has brought to them from the sea, or un- covered on the sand. Fortunately these birds are so small the gunners are not slaughtering them—as Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble
Size: 1739px × 1436px
Photo credit: © The Book Worm / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectnaturalhistory, booky
