SCOLOPACLTLE — THE SNIPE FAMILY. 59 



Genus TOTANUS Bechstein. 

 Subgenus Totanus. 



Totanus Bechst. Orn. Taschenb. 1803,282. Type, Scolopax totanus Linn. 



Chab. Bill usually slender, and slightly upturned terminally, the lateral groove of the 

 maxilla extending about half way to the tip. No web between the middle and inner toes. 

 Tarsus about twice as long as the middle toe. 



The subgenus Totanus is very closely allied to Helodromas 

 (see page 62), but differs as follows: 



Totanus. Middle toe not more than half as long as the tarsus; bill decidedly shorter 

 than tarsus. 



Helodromas. Middle toe nearly or quite as long as the tarsus; bill longer than tarsus. 



The two North American species of Totanus, while resembling 

 each other minutely in coloration, are very different in size and 

 proportions, as the following comparative measurements will 

 show : 



1. T. melanoleucus. Size large— wing more than 7 inches. Terminal half of bill slightly 

 recurved. Wing, 7.40-8.00; cul men, 2.05-2.40; tarsus, 2.35-2.70 ; middle toe, 1.25-1.50. 



2. T. flavipes. Size small— wing less than 7 inches. Terminal half of bill not perceptibly 

 recurved. Wing, 6.10-6.65; culmen, 1.30-1.55; tarsus, 2.00-2.15 ; middle toe, 1.00-1.15. 



Totanus melanoleucus (Gmel.) 



GREATER YELLOW-LEGS. 



Popular synonyms. Big Yellow-legs; Stone Snipe; Tell-tale; Big Cueu (Plymouth Bay, 

 Mass.); Yelper. 



Scotomas melanoleuca Gmel. S. N. ed. 13, i, 1788, 659. 



Totanus melanoleucus Vieill. Nouv. Diet, vi, 1816, 398.— Aud. Orn. Biog. iv, 1838, 68, pi. 



308— COUES, Key, 1872, 268; Check List, 1874, No. 432; 2d ed. 1882, No. 633 ; B. N. W. 



1874, 4%-Ridow. Nom. N. Am. B. 1881, No. 548; Man. N. Am. B. 1887, 168.— B. B. & Et. 



Water B. N. Am. i, 1881, 269— A. O. U. Check List, 1886, No. 254. 

 Gambetta melanoleuca Bonap. 1856.— Cass. inBaird's B. N. Am. 1858,731.— Baibd. Cat. N. 



Am. B. No. 589. 

 8colopax oociferus \\ ils. Am. Orn. vii, 1813, 57, pi. 58, lit:. 5. 

 Totanus vociferus Vieill. 1816.— Sw. & Rich.F. B.-A. ii, 1831, 389.— Aud. Synop. 1839,314; 



B. Am. V, 1842, 316, pL 346. 



Hab. America in general, but breeding only in cold-tcmp»Tatt> and subarctic <liinates 

 of the Dorther Diluent; in winter, south to Chill and Argentine Republic. 



Si'. Ciiah. Adult, summer plumage: Above, variegated with slate-black, pale gray, and 

 white, the former predominating! the latter In the form of apote along the edge of the feath- 

 ers, Including the wlng-ooverte andthe tertlals; crown and hind neck grayish white, widely 

 streaked with dusky; apper tail-coverts white, irregularly barred with dusky; primaries 

 plain blackish slate; tail white, all the feathers barred with dusky, the middle feathers 

 grayish. barred with dusky, the latter som<timi's obsolete. Mead, neok,and lower i 



