324 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



October. This species is well represented during the spring migration, 

 but like most of our shore birds is more common in the autumn, and as 

 it comes and stays later than the Lesser yellow-legs is often called the 

 Winter yellow-legs. 



The Greater yellow-legs, or Varied tattler, frequents both the sandy 

 beach, the muddy banks of pools and streams, and the flooded marshes. 

 It walks with easy carriage along the strand, or wades far out in the shallows, 

 feeding on the small crustaceans and aquatic insects which lurk in the mud 

 or among the aquatic plants, also on small fishes which I have sometimes 

 taken in considerable numbers from its gullet and stomach. It is wilder 

 and more suspicious than many of our shore birds, and, when approached, 

 usually takes flight when well out of range, giving voice to its loud penetrat- 

 ing whistle which resembles the syllables wheu-wheu-wheu, wheu-wheu. 

 These alarm notes are frequently repeated and immediately give notice 

 to all the flats and marshes that the sportsman is abroad. This habit has 

 given it the name of Telltale tattler in many localities. Its call note is often 

 heard at night when the birds are migrating, and during the day I have 

 listened to its notes coming from such an elevation that the birds themselves 

 could not be distinguished as they passed over me on their southward 

 journey. It is a common experience also when gunning on the marshes 

 to hear the call of these birds from high in the air long before they 

 appear, as they stoop from their lofty course to rest and feed for 

 a time. 



Yellow-legs sometimes gather in large flocks, but usually travel in 

 small companies of six or seven birds, and do not bunch so closely as some 

 shore birds when alighting among decoys, a fortunate circvimstance, which, 

 combined with its suspicious nature, is likely to prove the salvation of the 

 species. In the fall they become very fat, and are esteemed by some as 

 game, but to my palate its flesh is too strong in flavor, but this, as in other 

 species, probably depends upon the food of the birds for some time previous 

 to their capture. 



