164 SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. 



upon Crustacea, insects, worms, larvae, etc., moving about in a horizontal 

 position, picking and probing as it goes. Its flight is easy and well 

 sustained, though not very rapid ; in alighting, raises the wings over 

 the back as it touches the ground. These birds as a rule are shy, and 

 keep well out of reach. . . ." 



251. Liimosa haemastica {Linn.). IIudsonian Godwit; King- 

 tailed Marlin. Ad. — Upper parts black, the head and neck streaked and 

 the back spotted or barred with ochraceous-buif ; primaries black or fuscous ; 

 upper tail-coverts white., the lateral ones tipped or barred with black ; tail 

 hlach^ with a broad base and a narrow tip of white ; throat bufty, streaked with 

 blackish ; under parts chestnut-rufous, barred with black and sometimes 

 tipped with whitish ; axillars hlach. L., 15-00 ; W., 8-25 ; Tar., 2-25 ; B., 3-20. 



^a«^<^.— Eastern North America; breeds in the arctic regions and mi- 

 grates southward, chiefly through the interior, as far as Patagonia. 



Long Island, rare T. V., Aug. and Sept. 



Eggs., three to four, deep olive, hair-brown, or broccoli-brown (sometimes 

 paler), usually more or less spotted with darker brown, but sometimes nearly 

 uniform, 2-20 x 1-42 (Ridgw.). 



This bird resembles the preceding in habits, and like it is rare on 

 the Atlantic coast. 



The Black-tailed Godwit {252. Limosa limosa) inhabits the northern 

 parts of the Old-Workl and is of accidental occurrence in Greenland. 



254. Totanus melanoleucus {Gmel.). Greater Yellow-legs. 

 Ad. in summer. — Upper parts black, the head and neck streaked and the 

 back spotted or barred with white or ashy ; upper tail-coverts white, more or 

 less barred with black : tail white or ashy, barred with black ; breast heavily 

 spotted with black ; sides barred with black ; middle of the belly white. 

 Winter plumage.— ^imWar, but upper parts brownish gray, edged with whit- 

 ish • sides of the scapulars, tertials, and Aving-coverts with blackish and 

 whitish spots; breast only lightly streaked with blackish, and sides slightly 

 barred. L., 14-00 ; W., V-70 ; Tar., 2-40 ; B., 2-20. 



Eange.—l^oYth America; breeds from Minnesota and rarely northern Illi- 

 nois and Anticosti northward ; winters from the Gulf States to Patagonia. 



Washington, rather common T. V., Apl. and May ; July 25 to Nov. Long 

 Island, common T. V., Apl. 10 through May; July 15 through Oct. Sing 

 Sing, common T. V., to June 5 ;— to Oct. 28. Cambridge, common. T. V., Apl. 

 15 to May 25; Sept. and Oct. 



Eggs, three to four, brownish buify, distinctly but very irregulariy spotted 

 with rich vandyke- or madder-brown, 1-43 x 1-20 (Ridgw.). 



It needs only the musical notes of the Yellow-leg to recall memo- 

 ries of many days passed along the shore and in the marshes. Half 

 reclining in my blind, I see in fancy the staring decoys, pointing like 

 weathercocks with the wind, and hear the dull booming of surf be- 

 hind the brown sand dunes. 



