BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 



89 



Common spring- and fall migrant, but more numerous in the fall 

 from last of August to middle of October than in spring. At Lake 

 Erie this species is often seen in small flocks, but in other parts of the 

 state it is mostly found singly or in pairs, inhabiting the same localities 

 as the Lesser Tell-tale. The Greater Yellow -leg's feeds sometimes, it is 

 said, on small fish. A dozen or more of these birds which I have ex- 

 amined had in their stomach chiefly different kinds of insects, worms 

 and small particles of shells. 



Totanus flavipes (GMEL.). 



Yellow-legs; Lesser Tell-tale ; Yellow-shanks. 



DESCRIPTION. 



This bird is a miniature of the Greater Yellow-legs ; colors the same. Length about 

 10 or 11 inches ; extent about 19 or 21 ; bill never two inches long, and in three birds 

 before me the bills average a trifle less than one and one-half inches. 



Habitat. America in general, breeding in the cold temperate and subarctic 

 districts, and migrating south in winter to southern South America. Less common 

 in the western than the eastern province of North America. 



The Yellow-legs, commonly known along the sea-shore as "Little 

 Yellow-leg-Tell-tale," is quite frequently found in Pennsylvania during 

 migrations. Although often seen in spring, it is most numerous during 

 the last of August and in September. At Erie bay this bird, also the 

 Greater Yellow-legs, is quite common from the latter part of August 

 until, some seasons, as late as the first week in November. It is gener- 

 ally found in the interior, singly or in pairs, and sometimes, though not 

 often, in parties of five or six. I have often found them about ponds, 

 pools, and muddy flats, never along- streams of running- water, unless 

 the borders of such streams were muddy and destitute of grasses and 

 other vegetation. Dr. Ezra Michener, in a list of the Chester county 

 birds, published in 1863, says this species is a " frequent summer resi- 

 dent." I have never known this bird to occur in Chester county as a 

 summer resident, and am satisfied that it is now found in Chester county 

 and throughout Pennsylvania only as a spring- and autumnal migrant. 



The food-materials of thirteen of these birds examined by the writer 

 are given in the following table : 



