SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. 97 



feet touch the earth. But though last-mating to watch at their 

 feeding grounds, they are seen at their best when they come in high 

 from a distance on angular tern-like wings and sweep swiftly down 

 through the sky. 



255. Totanus flavipes (Gmel.). LESSER YELLOW-LEGS. 



Smaller than melanoleucus. Plumage similar in all its stages, but with 

 finer marking's. Length : I). 50-1 1.00, wing 

 0.10-6.65. bill 1.30-1.55, tarsus 2.00-2.15. 



Distribution. Nearly the whole of 

 America, breeding mainly north of the p. 



United States ; migrating to southern 

 South America. Less common west of the Rocky Mountains ; accidental 

 in Europe. 



Xest. A mere depression in the ground, sometimes lined with leaves 

 or grass. Eggs : usually 4, of varying shades of buff , spotted with dark 

 browns. 



In habits as well as general appearance the lesser yellow -legs 

 resembles its larger relative, with which it is often found, sometimes 

 in the same flock but more often in separate flocks on the same 

 feeding ground. When seen together the difference in size is most 

 noticeable, though the birds are otherwise counterparts. 



GENUS HELODROMAS. 



General Characters. Bill very slender, a little longer than head ; legs 

 and toes olive green, long, and slender ; tarsus scarcely longer than middle 

 toe and claw. 



KEY TO ADULTS. 



1. Specking of back white or creamy solitarius, p. 97. 



1'. Specking of back cinnamon brown .... cimiamomeus. p. 98. 



256. Helodromas solitarius (Wils.). SOLITARY SANDPIPER. 

 Adults in summer. Upper parts, including upper tail coverts and two 



middle tail feathers, dark olive gray, finely 



specked with whitish ; rest of tail barred 



with white ; outer quills and edge of wing 



deep black ; under parts white, streaked 



with dusky on chest and throat. Adults 



in winter : upper parts more dusky and less olive, chest less streaked. 



Young : specking of back buffy, and dusky of chest and sides tinged with 



buff. Wing: 4.83-5.19, tail 2.05-2.28, bill 1.03-1.20. 



Remarks. The solitary is distinguished from the other sandpipers in 

 the field by its dark color and black wings, and by its shrill note as it takes 

 wing. 



Distribution. North America east of the Rocky Mountains, breeding 

 from the northern United States northward, and migrating to Argentina 

 and Peru. 



Nest. A slight depression in the ground lined with leaves and grass. 

 Eggs : said to be 2 to 4, dull buffy, spotted with rich brown and purplish 

 gray. Few nests have ever been found or well identified eggs collected. 



