668 THE GREATER YELLOW-LEGS. 



]«irts fuscous, or light grayish brown, the anterior portions whitish-edged, and 

 whitish-tipped; feathers of l)ack", etc., with spots or inci])ient liars of (hisky and 

 white on edges; margining of underparts not so heav}-. I ininaUiic: Like a(hdt in 

 winter, but darker above, the white spotting witli si mu- achnixture nf br(iwni>h 

 buflf. Length aboul 14.00 (355.6); wing 7.(0 ( ii)3 I ; tail 3.11 ( 70 I ; bill J.15 

 ( 54.*') ) ; tarsus -'.40 ( 61 I. 



Recognition Marks. — Little I lawk size; long yellow legs; white upper tad- 

 coverts, with sober duskv and white cukiratinn, distinctive for size; Tew. tew. tew, 

 notes. 



Nesting. — Not known h> breed in Washington. Xest: on the groiuid. T.fl'is: 

 3 or 4, "brownish huffy, distinctly but very irregularly spotted with rich \'and\ke 

 or madder brown." .\v. size, 1.43 -\ 1.20 (36.3x30.5). 



General Range. — .\nierica in general, breeding from Iowa and ncirthern 

 Illinois, etc., Udrthward. and migrating south to Chili and .Argentine Republic. 



Range in Washington. — Fairlv common dtu'ing the migrations over the 

 entire State. 



Authorities. — Gaiiibetta iiielanoletica ( Gm. ) Bon., Baird, Rep. I'ac. R. R. 

 Surv. L\., i85,S, p. 732. C&S. Ij. Rh. D>. D-\ B. E. 



Specimens.— ( I '.of W.) I'rov. P. B. E. 



WTIILE most Sandpipers indulge in a C(in\ ersatinnal twitter, or low 

 musical ])iping, thev are ustialh- content to reserve their serious \()cal efforts 

 for the XorthlaiKl and the nesting time. Not .so with this bustling Tell-tale; 

 he inust needs proclaim his presence loudly wherever found. And not only 

 so, but lie takes such pains to publish \)y his distrustful notes the mo\enients 

 of the hunter, that he gets himself cordially disliked and numerously assassin- 

 ated. While no longer common, the impression of abundance is sustamed b) 

 the restless noisy ways of these Tattlers, so that if there be a single bird about 

 a horse-])ond, the whole countrv-side is likeh" to know of it. The birds fre- 

 cjuent not onh' tide flats and salt water marshes, but duck ])onds, upland pools, 

 and ri\'er bars as well. Sometimes they mo\'e uneasil\- from one part of the 

 ])on<l to another, as tlm discontented with the fare offered; and at all titnes. 

 with reason or witlnuU it, they utter their high ipterulous notes, few fc'i' te-ii.'. 

 te7v tew te7i'. — aKva\s in groups of three. The notes are \igdrous and ]icnc- 

 trating as well as jietulant, but no one save the luuiter need resent them. 



While feeding, the T.iltler wades about, knee-deep, snatching its food 

 from the surface of the water, or else thrusting its head lielow for a (|uick 

 search along the bottom. .\t such times it ma_\' be \ery .•ilcrt or i|tute unwary 

 according to the amount of persecution it has ]ire\-ionsly endureil. By the side 

 of ;i farmvard ])ond 1 once watched a bird which seemed rather to enjoy 

 com|)an\', so long as voti didn't actualh' ste]i on him. With immaculate under- 

 garments rolled tighth- al)o\e each knee (or heel, il you insist on anatomical 

 correctness), he wntdd ad\enture to wade around you ratlier than to tl\ out 



