Yellow-legs 121 



scarce ; south on migration, throughout the United States to winter 

 along the Gulf Coast and south California, and thence to the Argentine 

 and Chili. 



The Greater Yellow-legs is a fairly common migrant throughout 

 the State both in spring and autumn, in the plains and mountain parks ; 

 it has been noticed by Rockwell as high as 10,000 feet on the Grand 

 Mesa. It reaches Loveland the first week in April from the south, and 

 Rockwell saw one as early as March 28th, at Orchard. It has not yet 

 been found nesting in the State, but there is no reason why it should not 

 do so, and Felger has noticed it at Barr every month from March to 

 October. Additional records are Boulder co. (Henderson), Palmer 

 Lake, August 5th, and South Park (Allen), Middle Park (Carter), 

 Wet Mountain Valley (Baker) and Fort Lyon, Thome (Cooke). 



Habits. — The Yellow-legs is in no way different from 

 other Sandpipers in its habits ; it is found in small flocks 

 or pairs, as a rule, along the shores of lakes or in marshy- 

 ground where it wades along the shallows in search of 

 snails, worms, minnows and other aquatic animals which 

 form its food. WTien disturbed it rises with a loud 

 whistling cry, often wheeling round and circling back 

 again to the same spot. 



The nest is usually placed on the ground near a marsh 

 and constructed chiefly of grasses. The eggs, four 

 in number, are greyish -white, spotted or blotched with 

 dark brown, and measure about r75 x TSl. 



Yellow-legs. Totanus flavipes. 



A.O.U. Checklist no 255— Colorado Records— Allen 72, p. 152 ; 

 Drew 85, p. 18 ; Beckham 85, p. 143 ; Morrison 89, p. 168 ; Cooke 

 97, pp. 18, 66, 200 ; Henderson 03, p. 234 ; 09, p. 228 ; Rockwell 08, 

 p. 159 ; Hersey & Rockwell 09, p. 116. 



Description. — Closely resembling T. melanoleucus in plumage but 

 very decidedly smaller in all dimensions. Length 9-25 ; wing 6-50 ; 

 tail 2-4 ; cuhnen 1'4 ; tarsus 2-1. 



Distribution. — Breeding far north on Hudson Bay and the Barren 

 Grounds ; south on migration, most abundantly through the eastern 

 United States, and wintering from the Gulf States to Patagonia. 

 Occasionally in Europe. 



The Yellow-legs is only known as a migrant in Colorado ; in its 

 movements and dates it follows closely the Greater Yellow-legs, in the 



