BAY SNIPE. 19 



brown, spotted with white, and dusky ; scapulars the same ; 

 tail brown, barred with white. 



" Winter plumage, the upper parts lighter — large portion of 

 the breast and abdomen white ; sides of the body barred with 

 dusky. Length fourteen inches, wing seven and a quarter. 



" This species — with us not as numerous as the former — is 

 known to the gunners by the name of Greater Yellow-shanks. 

 It arrives on Long Island about two weeks earlier than the 

 preceding, like which, its visit in the spring is of short dura- 

 tion. It has an attachment for the muddy shores of creeks and 

 ponds — where it collects its food, and like many other species 

 of shore birds, seems to have a fondness for the spawn of the 

 king-crab or ' horse-foot.' It goes to the north and returns 

 in the latter part of August, and remains until cold weather. 

 On the meadows, in the vicinity of Oyster Pond, I have shot 

 them late in November. In autumn they get in fine condition, 

 and their flesh is at that season well flavored. They do not 

 usually associate in large flocks, generally roving about in par- 

 ties of from five to twelve. Its voice is much stronger than 

 that of the former, and consists of fewer notes, which by imita- 

 ting, it obeys. It is more suspicious than the Lesser Yellow- 

 shanks, though if the gunner lies close, it approaches the decoys 

 without much hesitation. 



" It walks over its feeding grounds with a graceful carriage, 

 and collects its food in an elegant and easy manner. It is ca- 

 pable of rapid flight, and at times mounts high in the air, from 

 which elevation its loud, clear, and familiar notes are often heard. 



" Its habits are similar to the preceding, to which it bears a 

 great resemblance in markings. On the coast of New Jersey 

 it is common, and I have been informed that a few breed there. 

 On Long Island I can find no trace of its having been found 

 breeding, and I have no recollection of meeting with it there 

 during the month of June, or early part of July ; in the latter 

 part of the last named month I have met with it, but that 

 period is unusually early, as it generally returns to us from 

 the North, from two to three weeks later than the Lesser Yel- 

 low-shanks." 



