OF NORTH AMERICA. 1d 
87. GREATER YELLOW-LEGS. 
WINTER YELLOW-LEGS. TATTLER 
Totanus melanoleucus. 
Back nearly black, speckled with white. 
Head and neck lighter, due to the white be- 
ing in the form of streaks; a white line 
above the eye, and the rump white, slghtly 
barred. Under side white, marked with a 
few lines toward the breast, which is much 
streaked with gray. Eyes brown. Bill black 
and long (24 inches), slightly turned upwards. 
Legs long and slender, chrome-yellow in color. 
Length about 18 inches; extent 2 feet. 
The young plumage is hghter, with fewer 
dark markings. 
These birds arrive early from the South, 
are gone to the far North before summer opens, 
and on their return linger in the temperate 
latitudes until the cold weather is fairly upon 
us. 
I know not whether this bird is the more 
admired as a game bird, or hated by gunners 
for its noisy, vociferous cries when it sees 
them: many a good shot at plover has been 
spoiled by one of these birds setting up its 
infernal ** cu-cu-cu-cu-cu-cu’’ when they were 
crawling upon a flock of birds. 
Still they are not difficult to secure; are 
easily called to blind on the edge of the sedge, 
as their call is not difficult to imitate. 
They feed principally upon the small fish 
which swim about in the little pools left upon 
