. The water birds of North America [microform]. Birds; Water-birds; Oiseaux; Oiseaux aquatiques. 288 GRALLATOUES — LIMICOLiE. i il. itfii. Tho flight of the Willct is swift, and perfonued with griuio and east". While in general this bird is found in the salt-marshes, it will also at times alight upon have shoals left exposed Ity tiie tide, and may 1»' seen wading hreast-deej) in the water. It is extremely watelit'ul,and when in an exposed situation very seldom allows a hunter to arrive within shooting distance. Nor is it iiy any means easily allured hy decoys, even thougii the
. The water birds of North America [microform]. Birds; Water-birds; Oiseaux; Oiseaux aquatiques. 288 GRALLATOUES — LIMICOLiE. i il. itfii. Tho flight of the Willct is swift, and perfonued with griuio and east". While in general this bird is found in the salt-marshes, it will also at times alight upon have shoals left exposed Ity tiie tide, and may 1»' seen wading hreast-deej) in the water. It is extremely watelit'ul,and when in an exposed situation very seldom allows a hunter to arrive within shooting distance. Nor is it iiy any means easily allured hy decoys, even thougii the sportsman lie well hidden; and even if the bird ajiproaches and answers the decoy-note, its keen eye will soon enable it to detect the deception, when, quickly changing its course, it (hirts olT like an arrow, and ascends beyond the reacii of the fowler. Wiiile it rarely associates with others of its kind, it may (d'teii be seen feeding in company with (iulls. Sanderliugs, and other birds. When Hying it is made very consi)icuous by the white markings of its wings. It feeds chiefly on worms, aquatic insects, small crabs, and minute shelltisli. When in good condition, the flesh of this bird is (pute palatable, although not considered a great delicacy; its eggs, howi'Ver, are very superior food. Audubon was mistaken l)oth as to the absence of this bird from the coast north of Jioston and its non-existence in the interior. It is probably rare north of Long Island, but it is often (juite abundant at some distance from the coast. Wilson characterizes it as oue of the most noisy of the birds inhabiting the salt- marshes in summer, arriving about the L'Oth of April, and from that time to tlie last of July making the vicinity resound almost incessantly with its loud and shrill reiterations of ^>(7/;i•///-//•/7/^'^ It begins to lay usually about the L'Oth of May. At Capi' Charles all the eggs I found on the oth of June were quite fresh. The nests are always on the ground, among
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1884
