172 THE BIRDS OF MAINE 



(Knight). Cumberland; rare near Bridgton, (Mead); common, (Brock). 

 Franklin; rare migrant, (Richards). Hancock; common migrant, (Dorr). 

 Kennebec; they have been shot here in abundance, (Powers). Knox; sum- 

 mer, (Rackliff). Oxford; migrant, (Rackliff). Penobscot; occurs in fall 

 and spring, formerly frequent, rare now, (Knight). Piscataquis; migrant, 

 (Homer). Sagadahoc; common in fall, (Spinney). Somerset; common 

 migrant, birds were seen during the summer months of 1895, (Morrell). 

 Waldo; late summer and early fall, (Knight). Washington; common 

 spring and fall, (Boardman) . 



Though this species has not yet actually been detected nest- 

 ing in Maine there seems no reason to doubt that it does 

 nest in small numbers in the Woolastook Valley where I have 

 observed it in early July. Ordinarily the species appears from 

 the north in early August, more seldom in late July, and from 

 then to late October or early November it may be found locally 

 inland and quite generally along the coast. In the spring it 

 is somewhat rare and occurs in late April to mid May. 



They are rather noisy birds giving vent to a loud penetrat- 

 ing"wheu-wheu-wheu-wheu" which never fails to attract atten- 

 tion from all hearers. They have been accused by sportsmen 

 of purposely making noise to put other game on the alert when 

 danger approaches. 



The eggs are described as grayish white, marked with spots 

 of dark brown and obscure markings of lilac which are scat- 

 tered over the entire surface but most numerous at the larger 

 end of the egg. The nest is a mere hollow with a little grass 

 lining. The species usually occurs in small flocks of two or 

 more, usually not over five or six individuals. They frequent 

 the shores of rivers, streams, ponds, pools and similar spots, 

 wading in the water in search of snails, insects, wornls and 

 other sub littoral life. They come readily to decoys. 



255. Totanus Jlavipes (Gmel.). Yellow-legs; Summer 

 Yellow-legs; Lesser Yellowshanks; Wandering Tattler. 



Plumage of summer adults: head and neck streaked black and white; 

 upper parts brownish gray with blackish centers and whitish tips to the 

 feathers of the back and scapulars; upper tail coverts and tail white or 



