scolopacid.e— the snipe family. 59 



Genus TOTANUS Bechstein. 

 Subgenus Totanus. 



Totanus Bechst. Orn. Tasohenb. 1803,282. Type, Scolopax totanus Linn. 



Chab. Bill usually slender, and slightly upturned terminally, the lateral groove of the 

 maxilla extending about half way to the tip. No web between the middle and inner toes. 

 Tarsus about twice as long as the middle toe. 



The subojenus Totanus is very closely allied to Ilelod/rmnaH 

 (see page 62), but differs as follows: 



Totanus. Middle toe not more than half as long as the tarsus; bill decidedly shorter 



than tarsus. 

 Helodromas. Middle toe nearly or quite as long as the tarsus : bill longer than tarsus. 



The two North American species of Totanm, while resembling 

 eacli other minutely in coloration, are very different in size and 

 proportions, as the following- comparative measurements will 

 show : 



1 . T. melanoleucns. Size large— wing more than 7 inches. Terminal half of bill slightly 

 recurved. Wing, 7.40-8.00; cuImen,2.tt)-2.40; tarsus, 2.35-2.70 ; middle toe, 1.25-1..')0. 



2. T, flavipes, Sizo small— wing less than 7 inches. Terminal half of bill not perceptibly 

 recurved. Wing, 6,10-6,05; culmen, 1,30-1.55; tarsus, 2.00-2.15; middle toe, 1.00-1.15. 



Totanus melanoleucus (Gmel.) 



GEEATEK YELLOW-LEGS. 



Popular synonyms. Big Yellow-legs; Stone Snipe; Tell-tale; Big Cuou (Plymouth Bay. 

 Ma.ss.); Yclpcr. 



.Sco/o;«ix iiip/dtioipwcaGMEL. S. N. ed. 13, 1, 1788, (!59. 

 Totanus melanoleucus Vieill. Nouv. Diet, vi, 1810, .398,— AuD. Orn. Blog. Iv, 1838, 68, pi. 

 308.-COUES, Key, 1872. 268; Check List. 1874, No, 432; 2d ed. 1882, No. 033: B. N. W. 

 1874, 4%.— KiDow. Nom. N. Am. B. I88I, No. 648; Man. N. Am. B. 1887, 16i.— B. B. & K. 

 Water B. N. Am. i, 1884, 2fi9.-A. O. U. Check List, 1886, .No. 254. 

 (lamhelta melanoleuca Bonap. 1856.— Cass, in Balrd'b B. N. Am. 1858,731.— Baibd, Cat. N. 

 Am. B. No. SSlt. 

 Scolopax voci/erus WiLS. Am. Orn. vll, 1813, 57, pi, 68, flg. 5. 

 Totanus voci/erus Vieill. 1816.— Sw. & RiOH.F. B.-A. li, 1831, 389.— AUD. Synop, 1839,244; 

 B. Am. V, 1»I2, 316, pL 3.(5, 



Had. America in general, but brooding only in cold-temporato and subarctic climates 

 of the northern continent; In winter, south to ('hill and Argentine Kepubllc. 



Hp. Ciiab. Adult, summer iibimage: Above, variegated with slate-black, pale gray, and 

 white, the former predominating, the latter In the form of spota along the edge of the fuiitb- 

 ers. Including the wlng-coverts and the tertlals; crown and hind neck grayish white, widely 

 streaked with dusky; upper tail-covorts white, Irregularly barrcdwith dusky; primaries 

 plain blackish slate; tall white, all the feathers barred with dusky, the middle feathers 

 grayish, barred with dusky, the latter somellmos obsolete. Head, neck, and lower ports 



