BIRDS HUNTED FOR FOOD OR SPORT. 301 



History. 



Few if any shore birds have a wider and more general dis- 

 tribution in America than the Winter Yellow-legs. It does not 

 go as far north as some species, but it ranges southward over 

 the greater part of both the American continents. Although 

 this species is hunted much, and has diminished greatly in 

 numbers in most parts of the Union, it is still a rather common 

 bird in the migrations along the coast of New York and New 

 England, and sometimes appears in considerable numbers, 

 particularly in spring. Only nine of my Massachusetts cor- 

 respondents saw an increase in this species up to 1908, and 

 ninety-one a decrease. A recent increase is recorded in por- 

 tions of Plymouth and Barnstable counties, where large flights 

 are noted from 1906 to 1908, also in some parts of Essex and 

 Norfolk counties; but this species, which is generally common 

 in the interior of the continent, seems to appear here mainly 

 on the coast or not far from it. 



Spring protection in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and 

 Connecticut has shown good results. Many of the flocks keep 

 well off shore during the fall migration, and so escape the 

 gunner, except where they come ashore to feed. Thus the 

 diminution of this species has been lessened. The bird is sus- 

 picious and noisy, and often alarms other birds by its cries 

 and warns them of the presence of the hunter, but it is easily 

 deceived by a good bird caller, and sometimes can be called 

 back to the decoys after it has been shot at, and so it falls an 

 easy prey to the hidden and skilful sportsman. 



The Greater Yellow-legs migrates north and south over 

 the greater part of the United States to the Antilles, and up 

 and down both coasts of South America. It winters mainly 

 in the southern part of South America and north to Georgia 

 and the Carolinas. This is one of the species that no doubt 

 was once common along our coast all summer, although it 

 probably never bred there. Non-breeding individuals still 

 summer in South America and along the south Atlantic coast 

 of the United States. Those which once summered here were 

 mostly destroyed long ago by the gunner. The migration of 



