BAY-BIRDS. 167 
late in September. It collects in immense flocks, 
and stools excellently, but its flight is irregular and 
rapid, and when frightened, it darts about in a con- 
fusing way that often baffles the sportsman. When 
wounded it will swim away, and, if possible, crawl 
into the grass to hide. 
Although a pleasant bird to shoot, it is unattrac- 
tive on the table, even when in best condition, unless 
killed along the fresh water, where it attains an 
agreeable and delicate flavor. Both it and the 
yelper are found in considerable numbers on the 
marshy shores of the western lakes, where it and the 
other smaller bay-birds are called, indiscriminately, 
plover. 
Wonderful stories are told of the number of yel- 
low-legs killed at one shot, and as it is a small bird, 
these are probably not exaggerated. By Wilson 
the yellow-legs, the yelper, and willet are classed 
among the Scolopacide, or snipe, but the other orni- 
thologists have erected a separate genus for them. 
“ Specific Character—Bill along the ridge one 
inch and three-eighths; length of tarsi one inch and 
seven-eighths; legs yellow. Adult with the bill 
black; throat white; upper part of the head, lores, 
cheeks, hind part and side parts of the neck, deep 
brownish-grey, streaked with greyish-white; eye 
encircled with white, a band of the same color from 
the bill to the eye; fore neck, sides of the body, and 
upper parc of the breast, greyish-white, streaked 
with greyish-brown; lower part of the breast and 
abdomen white; lower tail-coverts white, the outer 
