It often selects a fence-post for a look-out station, 

 and here its long legs and general long geared 

 appearance and its large size serve to identify it. 



263. Spotted Sandpiper — Actitis macularia. 



Smaller than robin. Length p ] l / 2 inches. 



A long-legged, long, slender-winged little bird. 

 Underparts white, spotted everywhere with black; 

 upperparts brownish gray with a greenish tinge; 

 head and neck streaked with black; back barred 

 or spotted with black; outer tail-feathers white, 

 with blackish bars. 



A bird of the river and lake shores. Has a 

 habit of "teetering" its tail. It flies low over the 

 water on rapidly vibrating wings, while it utters 

 its unmistakable "tweet, tweet-e-e-e-t." 



316. Mourning Dove — Zenaidura macroura car- 

 olinensis. 



Larger than robin. Length 11% inches. 



A long-tailed bird. Upperparts olive brownish, 

 forehead paler; breast pale buffy; belly creamy; 

 outer tail-feathers tipped with white; sides of neck 

 with metallic reflections; a small black mark on the 

 side of the head. 



The wings of this bird make a whistling sound 

 in flight. Usually a quiet bird. Its note is a pecu- 

 liar brooding "coo-00-00-00." The flight is rapid 

 and straight. Th^ long pointed tail is conspicuous 

 whether the bird is in flight or at rest. 



387. Yellow-billed Cuckoo — Coccyzus ameri- 

 canus americanus. 



Length \2 l /\ inches. 



Upperparts brownish gray, tinged with green- 

 ish; main wing-feathers rufous, except at their 

 tips; underparts whitish; bill black, but the lower 

 mandible mostly yellow; outer tail-feathers black, 

 conspicuously tipped with white ; outer edge of 

 outer tail-feather white. 



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