SCOLOPA CID^ : TA TTLERS. 



831 



tiers, strangely overlooked by two generations of American ornithologists since its original 

 description as a bird of this country from a Hudson's Bay specimen in the British Museum in 

 1831. Scolopax totaniis Linn. 1758. Totanus calidris Bechst. 1803, and of authors; S\v. 

 and Rich. F. B.-A. ii, 1831, p. 391 ; Nuttall, Man. ii, 1834, p. 15.5. See also Edwards' 

 pi. \i)\) of su|)posed albino Redshank from HiuLson's Bay. Not heretofore taken into the Key. 

 A. 0. U. Suppl. List, Auk, Jan. 18!>9, p. 128, Hypothetical List, No. 11.2. See CouES, Auk, 

 Apr. 1897, p. 211. 



{Subgenus Glottis.) 



T. nebula'rius. (Lat. like nehulosus, nebulous, cloudy, misty, foggy.) European Greex- 

 siiANK. Size and form almost exactly as in 2\ melanoleucus (see next) ; bill with the same 

 upward set or bent about the middle, or rather more so. Length 12.50-14.50; wing 7.00- 

 7.75; tail 3.50; bill 2.15-2.25; tarsus about 2.50. Coloration nearly as in our Yellow-legs, 

 i)ut lower back, rumj), tail and its coverts white, with dark markings chiefly restricted to broken 

 bars or other variegation of the tail-feathers alone; legs not bright yellow, but of some 

 obscure color commonly called "green" or greenish, but apparently rather yellowish-gray 

 or grayish-olive, more livid or darker on the joints. Europe, etc. ; only North American in 

 one alleged instance of its occurrence in " Florida." Audubon's original specimen is e.Ktant, 

 and is the Greensliank ; but the record has never been repeated, and is open to suspicion. 

 T. glottis AuD. folio pi. 169, 1835, 8vo, pi. 346, 1842, and of most authors, as of previous eds. 

 of the Key; Glottis fioridanus Bp. 1838. Bn. B. N. A. 1858, p. 730. Scolopax nehidarius 

 GuNN. 1767; Totanus (Glottis) nebularius, A. 0. U. No. [253]. 



T. nielanoleu'cus. (Gr. /Lte'Xar, melas, black ; }\.(vk6s, leukos, white. Figs. 580, 581.) 

 Greater Tell-tale. Greater Yellow-.siiaxks, or Yellow-legs, or Yellow-shins. 

 Winter Yellow-legs. Big Yellow-legged Plover. Big Kill-cu or Cucu. Long- 

 legged Tattler, Snipe, or Plover. Stone-snipe. Stone-bird. Yelper. Bill 



Fio. 580. — Greater Yellow-shanks, iiat. size. ^Ad. nat. del. E. C.) 



Straight or .sliglitly inclined upward, not with regular curve, but as if bent near the middle, 

 and grooved for rather less than half its length ; black or greenish-black. Legs very long 

 and slender, chroine-yeUow. Length usually 13.00-14.00, but ranging 12.50-15.00; extent 

 23.00-25.00; wing over 7.00, usually nearer 8.00; tail 3.00 or more; bill 2.00 or more; tar- 

 sus 2.50; miildle toe and claw 1.70. Length from end of bill to end of outstretched feet 

 about 17 or 18 inches. Adult ^ 9 • Abuve, blackish, more or less ashy according to season, 

 everywhere sjteckled v.-ith whitish, in a series of imlentations along edge of each feather: the 

 markings spotty on back and wings, streaky on brail and neck. A slight white superciliary 

 line. Upper tail-coverts mostly white. Under parts wliite, jugulum and fore-breasl streaked, 

 sides and Hanks, lining of wings and axillars, barnil and arrnw-licadrd. witli the cnlor of back. 



