256 SNIPES AND SANDPIPERS 



The BLACK-TAILED GODWIT (252. Limosa limosa) inhabits the northern 

 parts of the Old World and is of accidental occurrence in Greenland. 



The GREEN-SHANK (253. Glottis nebularia) is an Old World species, of 

 which three specimens were taken by Audubon, May 28, 1832, near Cape 

 Sable, Florida. It resembles our Greater Yellow-legs, but differs chiefly in 

 having the lower back and rump white. 



254. Totanus melanoleucus (Gmel.}. GREATER YELLOW-LEGS. Ads. 

 in summer. Upperparts black, head and neck streaked and back spotted 

 or barred with white or ashy; upper tail-coverts white, more or less barred 

 with black; tail white or ashy, barred with black; breast heavily spotted 

 with black; sides barred with black; middle of the belly white. Ads. and 

 Juv. in winter. Similar, but upperparts brownish gray, edged with whitish ; 

 sides of scapulars, tertials, and wing-coverts with blackish and whitish 

 spots; breast only lightly streaked with blackish, and sides slightly barred. 

 L., 14-00; W., 7-70; Tar., 2'40; B., 2'20. 



Range. N. and S. A. Breeds from Lake Iliamna, Alaska, and s. 

 Mackenzie to s. B. C., Ungava, Lab., and Anticosti Is.; winters from s. 

 Calif., Tex., La., and Ga. (casually N. C.) s. to Patagonia; occurs in Ber- 

 muda in migration. 



Washington, rather common T. V., Apl., May; July 25 Nov. Long 

 Island, common T. V., Apl. 10 through May; July 15 through Oct. Ossining, 

 common T. V., to June 5;-Oct. 28. Cambridge, common T. V., Apl. 20- 

 May 20; Aug. 1-Oct. 20. N. Ohio, common T. V., Apl. 10-May 15; Sept. 

 1-Oct. 30. Glen Ellyn, uncommon T. V., May; Sept. 18-Oct. 24. SE. Minn., 

 common T. V., Apl. 1; Sept. 17-Oct. 28. 



Eggs, 3-4, brownish buffy, distinctly but very irregularly spotted with 

 rich vandyke- or madder-brown, 1*43 x 1'20 (Ridgw.). Date, Ft. George. 

 B. C., May 20. 



It needs only the musical notes of the Yellow-leg to recall memo- 

 ries of many days passed along the shore and in the marshes. Half 

 reclining in my blind, I see in fancy the staring decoys, pointing like 

 weathercocks with the wind, and hear the dull booming of surf behind 

 the brown sand-dunes. 



Few birds are flying; lulled by the lap, lap of the water, I have 

 almost fallen asleep, when from far up in the gray sky comes a soft, 

 flutelike whistle, when, wheu-wheu-wheu-wheu, when, wheu-wheu. I 

 respond quickly, and, lying on my back, look eagerly upward. Not a 

 bird can be seen, but the questioning call grows stronger and is repeated 

 more frequently. Finally I distinguish five or six black points sailing 

 in narrow circles so high that I can scarcely believe they are the birds 

 I hear. But no bar or shoal breaks the sound waves. The birds grow 

 larger and on widening circles sweep earthward. Their soft whistle 

 has a plaintive tone; their long bills turn inquiringly from side to side. 

 The stolid decoys give no response, they repel rather than encourage, 

 but the whistling continues, and with murmured notes of interrogation 

 the deluded birds wheel over them and, if permitted, will alight 

 before discovering the deception. 



255. Totanus flavipes (GmeL). YELLOW-LEGS. Ads. in summer. 

 Upperparts generally brownish gray, head and neck streaked with black 

 and white; back, scapulars, arid wing-coverts with sometimes black centers, 

 spotted or tipped with whitish or brownish gray; upper tail-coverts white, 

 more or less barred with black, tail varying from white to brownish gray, 



