250 THE NESTS AND EGGS OF 



pale grayish-brown. The markings are seldom large 

 and blotchy, as is so characteristic in this group of 

 birds, and are, of course, most numerous on the larger 

 end of the q^^. Average measurement, 1*55 inch in 

 length, by it inch in breadth. The duration of the 

 period of incubation is unknown. Whether the male 

 assists in the duty is also undetermined. 



Diagnostic characters : The eggs of this Sand- 

 piper perhaps approach most closely to those of the 

 Common Sandpiper, but the markings are generally 

 smaller. The situation of the " nest," however, is quite 

 sufficient to identify them. 



Family CHARADRIID^. Genus Totanus. 



Sub-family TOTANINAi.. 



YELLOW-LEGGED SANDPIPER. 



Totanus flavipes {Gmelin). 



(British : Very rare abnormal autumn migrant.) 



Single Brooded. Laying season, end of May and early 

 June. 



Breeding area : Northern Nearctic region. The 

 Yellow- legged Sandpiper breeds across the North 

 American continent from the Yukon valley in Alaska, 

 in the west, to the Hudson Bay Territory and Greenland 

 in the east, extending as far south as about lat. 44'. 



Breeding habits : The Yellow-legged Sandpiper is 

 a migrant, arriving at its more southerly breeding grounds 

 in May, but a month later in the extreme northern 

 portions of its distribution. This species is not gregarious 

 during the nesting season, but lives in scattered pairs. 

 Of its pairing habits nothing appears to have been 



