THE LESSER YELLOW-LEGS. 669 



of your \va}-. At other times one cannot get within a hundred yards of 

 them. 



During the migrations the Yellow-legs appear singi}' as ijften as in small 

 flocks. The fall movement, which sets in by the middle of August, or even 

 earlier, is a little more leisurely than that of spring, inasmuch as the bird's 

 business is less urgent; and because of the year's increase they are noticeably 

 more numerous in autumn. A few winter with us, but South America is the 

 normal winter home of the species. In far-off Argentina, the birds are said to 

 mingle for a time with those members of their race which constitute a south- 

 ern fli\-ision. and which must soon be lea\'ing for their breeding haiuits within 

 the Antarctic Circle. 



There are no records of the Telltale's nesting in this State, but it may do 

 so. Mr. Samuel X. Rhoads, in 1892, found them breeding about inland lakes 

 in British Columbia as far south as Clinton (Lat. 31° ). "At this season both 

 sexes stand sentinel on the tops of trees in the \icinity of the nest, rarely 

 alighting on the ground during the presence of an intruder. The newly 

 fledged voimg often follow the example of their parents in this respect. From 

 this position the male keeps up an incessant clamor thruout the day. One 

 series of notes, uttered only during periods of fancied securit\-. is peculiar 

 and imquestiiinabl\- a lo\'e song."'' 



No. 270. 



LESSER YELLOW-LEGS. 



A. O. U. No. 255. Totanus flavipes (Gmel.). 



Synonyms. — T.\ttlhr. Lesser T.^tti.er. Common Yeli.ow-legs. Lesser 

 Yellow-legs. Yki,low-sh.\xks T.attler. Tkli.-tale. 



Description. — Adidt in stiinincr: Head and neck all around fsave throat), 

 and breast, finely streaked with dusky, on white or ashy-white ground, the mark- 

 ings on the sides of breast broader and heavier, passing into loose and rather in- 

 distinct bars on sides : remaining underparts white : back and upperparts in general 

 light brownish gray, tinging also hind-neck and crown ; feathers of back and 

 scapulars with blackish centers, and irregular spotting of ashv white: the larger 

 feathers, especially tertials, with incomplete black bars ; primaries dusky ; the 

 secondaries with narrow edging of white : upper tail-coverts white, the terminal 

 portion of feathers dusky-barred : tail white or ashy gray, centrallv, barred with 

 dusky: bill and feet as in preceding species. Winter plumage: .Above light 

 brownish gray, with some darker shaft-lines, and considerable white spotting on 

 edges of feathers: markings of neck and underparts much paler, grayish brown, 



a. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1893, p. 2^. 



