5 o 4 THE KNOT. 



the Yellow-legs, and is seldom seen in large companies. It has something 

 of the sedateness of movement of the Curlews, but is still very graceful on 

 its "stilts." The long legs enable their owner to wade into a considerable 

 depth of water, where the bill is immersed to the base and swept rapidly 

 from side to side in search of minute crustaceans. The birds also probe 

 the sand for worms and shell-fish after the manner of Curlews. A sharp 

 tweet-tweet note has been remarked by several observers, and compared to 

 !l .it of the Solitary Sandpiper. 



No. 230. 



KNOT. 



A. O. U. No. 234. Tringa canutus Linn. 



Synonyms. — Robin Snipe; Gray Snipe. 



Description. — Adult in summer: Upper parts light gray, streaked centrally 

 with black 1 narrowly on crown and nape, broadly on back and scapulars), and 

 varied irregularly with some ochraceous buff; primary coverts and primaries 

 blackish, the latter with white shafts; upper tail-coverts with subterminal U- or 

 V-shaped markings of dusky ; tail uniform, grayish brown ; under parts in general 

 pale cinnamon-rufous ; cheeks and superciliary region washed with same, and 

 dusky-streaked; paler or white on belly; crissum, under tail-coverts, thighs, lin- 

 ing of wings, and sides white, — the last two and sides of breast more or less 

 dusky-barred; bill and feet greenish black. Adult m winter: Above plain ashy 

 gray ; upper tail-coverts and tail as before ; under parts white ; the sides of neck, 

 fore-neck, and chest with faint dusky streaks, or irregular bars, and the sides 

 similarly barred. Immature: Above, ashy gray, mottled with dusky on crown; 

 with whitish edging and narrow submarginal dusky on feathers of back and scap- 

 ular region; the fore-breast flecked or streaked, but not barred, with dusky; 

 otherwise much as in winter plumage adult. Length 10.00-11.00 (254.-279.4); 

 wing 6.50 (165.1) ; tail 2.31 (58.7) ; bill 1.34 (34.) ; tarsus 1.23 (31.2). 



Recognition Marks. — Robin size; called "Robin Snipe" from the cinnamon- 

 rufous of breast (in summer') ; the largest of the Tringae; found coastwise. 



Nesting. — Does not breed in Ohio. Nest, on the ground. Eggs: only one 

 specimen known, — that taken by Lieutenant Greely, near Fort Conger; described 

 as "light pea-green, closely spotted with brown in small specks about the size 

 of a pin-head." Av. size, 1.10 x 1.00 (27.9 x 25.4). 



General Range. — Nearly cosmopolitan. Breeds in high northern latitudes, 

 but visits the southern hemisphere during its migrations. 



Range in Ohio. — Rare migrant. 



WHEN King Canute, or Knut, had dined on a dish of strange coast- 

 faring birds, he was gracious enough to express to his blushing chef the 



