THE 



YELLOWSHANK. 

 {Totamts flavipes.) 



The Tattlers. 



This American species has oc- 

 curred twice in England, once in 

 Nottinghamshire and once in Corn- 

 wall. It has the lower back and 



179 



THE 



GREEN -LEGGED 



TATTLER. 



{Helodrovias 



ochrcpus.) 



The Yellowshank. 



rump dusky brown, and the upper tail-coverts white, 

 banded with brown. Its yellow legs also distinguish 

 it from the other Tattlers. 



In the genus Helodroiiuis the 



tarsus is much shorter than in the 



genus Totanus, and only just exceeds 



the length of the middle toe and 



claw. The Green Sandpiper, as it 



is usually called, is told at once by 

 its dark coloration, which is dark olive-brown, with 

 a few tin}' white spots ; the rump is like the back, 

 but the upper tail-coverts are white, as also are the 



tail-feathers, the latter having blackish bars ; the under surface is white, with brown 

 streaks on the lower throat and fore-neck ; the feet are greyish-blue, tinged with green. 

 Young birds have pale edgings of ashy-bronze to the feathers of the upper surface. 



The Green Sandpiper does not breed in Great Britain, but it occurs plentifully on 

 migration on the banks of rivers and inland waters. In the autumn it frequents the 

 muddy ditches of tidal waters, generally in small parties of si.x or eight together. 

 It breeds in Northern Europe and Siberia, and is found in winter in Africa, India 

 and Australia. It nests m trees, generally selecting the old nest of a Thrush or 

 other bird, but sometimes laying its eggs on the moss of an old bough. The 

 eggs are four in number, about one-and-a-half inches in length, greenish-white or 

 clay-colour, with reddish-brown and purplish-grey blotches and spots. 



The Common Summer-Snu'e. 



The Wood-Tattlek. 



The Gree.n-legged Tattler. 

 12'' 



