WATER BIRDS. 191 



104. Hudsonian Godwit. Limosa haemastica (Linn.). (251) 



Synonyms: Black-tailed Godwit, White-rump, Black-tailed Marlin. — Scolopax haema- 

 stica, Linn., 1758. — Limosa hudsonica, Sw. and Rich., Nutt., Aud., and other authors, 

 Limosa haemastica of more recent writers. 



Similar to the preceding but somewhat smaller, and with the rump 

 and upper tail-coverts pure white, unspotted. This mark, together with 

 the slender, nearly straight, but slightly up-curved bill, should identify 

 the bird in any plumage. 



Distribution. — Eastern North America and the whole of middle and 

 South America. Breeds only in the far north. 



Not common anywhere in the United States, probably less abundant 

 than the Marbled Godwit. It is also more northern in its summer distribu- 

 tion, nesting in Arctic and sub-Arctic regions, for example, on the Barren 

 Grounds of British America, in the Anderson River region, etc. In Mich- 

 igan it occurs only as a very rare migrant and records are very few at best. 

 According to Dr. Gibbs, the late D. D. Hughes had a specimen taken in 

 Calhoun county in April, 1868. There is one (an adult in spring plumage) 

 in the Barron collection at Niles, without data, but probably taken there. 

 Mcllwraith states that he has seen it in spring at St. Clair Flats, and also 

 on the shore of Hamilton Bay (Ontario), where the specimen in his collec- 

 tion was obtained (Birds of Ontario, 1894, 149). Trombley records it from 

 the shore of Lake Erie, near Monroe (Swales SIS. List, 1904). It seems to 

 be rare in neighboring states, although specimens have been recorded 

 from Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin. The latest instance of its 

 nearby capture is a male taken at Point Pelee, Ont., north shore of Lake 

 Erie, May 13, 1905, by P. A. Taverner. 



It nests on the ground, laying four deep olive eggs, sometimes unmarked, 

 but oftener spotted or mottled with darker brown, and averaging 2.20 by 

 1.42 inches. 



TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 



Tail black, with white base and tip, the tail-coverts with a broad white band. Summer 

 adult: Head and neck pale chestnut, streaked with dusky; lower parts deeper chestnut, 

 barred with dusky; back, etc., blackish, irregularly varied with buffy. Winter plumage: 

 Back, etc. plain, dull brownish gray; head, neck and lower parts dull whitish or pale grayish 

 buffy, shaded with brownish gray anteriorily. Young: Back, etc. dull brownish gray, 

 each feather marked with a submarginal dusky crescent and margined terminally with 

 buffy, the belly whitish and chest more grayish. Length 14 to 16.75 inches; wing 8.10 

 to 8.60; culmen 2.85 to 3.45; tarsus 2.25 to 2.50 (Ridgway). 



105. Greater Yellowlegs. Tetanus melanoleucus (Gnicl). (254) 



Synonyms: Big Yellowlegs, Winter Yellowlegs, Tell-tail, Stone Snipe. — Scolopax 

 melanoleuca, Gmel., 1789. — Gambetta melanoleuca, Bonap., 1856. — Tetanus vociferus, 

 Vieill., 1816. — Totanus melanoleucus of recent authors. 



Figure 54- 



The combination of the slender, straight bill about 2} inches in length, 

 long yellow legs, and nearly white rump, always speckled more or less, is 

 peculiar to this species. 



Distribution. — America in general, breeding from Iowa and northeastern 

 Illinois, etc. northward, and migrating south to Chili and Argentine 

 RepubUc. 



