132 NESTS AND EGGS OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



gions. It was found breeding in the Calumet Marshes, Illinois, June loth, 

 1875. It winters from the Carolinas southward; is abundant during the 

 migrations, and is well-known to the gunners. The stately form of this 

 bird may be seen moving along the gravelly banks of streams, wad- 

 ing in pools or the shallow margins of rivers and lagoons, feeding upon 

 small fishes, crustaceans, etc. It is generally found in pairs, less often 

 in small flocks, and its association with other Sandpipers is merely acci- 

 dental. In the Eastern States it appears to be much more wary than in 

 Ohio, and is said to give warning to ducks and other game birds on the 

 approach of the gunner. About four rapidly repeated, loud and shrill 

 whistling notes are uttered, which is a signal to the rest of his feathered 

 neighbors, when the whole take wing, often to the disappointment of 

 the fowler. From this habit it derives the name of Tell-tale, and it is 

 also known by several other names: Stone Snipe, Greater Yellow-shanks, 

 Long-legged Tattler. When this bird is feeding, its graceful movements 

 are remarkable; in stooping for food in a pool, or stepping off in its long 

 strides, the graceful symmetry of outline is quite different from that 

 which we are accustomed to see represented in specimens "stuffed" by 

 taxidermists who make their observations in books. The eggs of the 

 Tell-tale are deposited on the ground, in a slight depression, lined with 

 grass-stems, etc. 



549. Yellow-legs — totanus flavipes. Varying from a clay to buffy 

 or creamy color, sometimes light brown, the markings are bold and 

 heavy, with great diversity of heavily splashed blotches of chocolate, 

 umber-brown and blackish, these being chiefly at the larger end and 

 sometimes confluent. Paler shell-markings are also numerous and notice- 

 able; pointedly pyriform in shape; three or four in number; size 1.58 to 

 1.78 long by about 1.16 broad. The common Yellow-legs, or Lesser 

 Tell-tale is found throughout North America. It breeds from northern 

 United States northward, and winters in the Southern States and south- 

 ward. In some localities during the migrations, it is more abundant than 

 the Greater Tattler, and its general habits and characteristics are the same; 

 its cries are clearer and not so loud. It is fond of wading about in pools 

 of water seeking for food, which consists of larva; of insects and small 

 crustaceans. Usually it is quite tame and unsuspicious. 



550. Solitary Sandpiper — rhyacophilus solitarius The Solitary 

 Tattler, or the American Green Sandpiper is found throughout the entire 

 North America ; breeds in northern United States and northward, and 

 probably throughout most of its United States range. It winters chiefly 



