164 



SNIPKS, SANDPIPKIiS, ETC. 



upon cnistacpa, insects, worms, larva>,etc., moving about in a horizontal 

 position, picking anil probing as it goes. Its flight is easy and well 

 sustained, though not very rapid ; in alighting, raises the wings over 

 the back as it touches the gnjund. These l)irds as a rule are shy, and 

 keep well out of reach. . . ." 



861* Iiimout haBnUMtica (/.inn.). Hcdhoman Godwit; Kinu- 

 TAii.Ki> Maki.in. .l<y.— upper jmrts l)luck, the lieud and necK Ktreuked and 

 the Imek HjMHted or barred witli oeliruoeous-hutl'; priiimries J)lui'k or fuseous ; 

 upper tail-coverts white, the lateral ones tipped or barred witli black ; tail 

 black, with a broad base and a narrow tip of wliite ; throat butty, streaked with 

 blackisli ; under parts eliestnut-rufous, barred with black and sotnetinies 

 tipped with whitish ; axillars blnvk. L., ir)00; W., b-iif. ; Tar., 225; IJ., 3-20. 



Jit/Kje. — Eastern North America ; breeds in tlie arctic rc(.'lons and mi- 

 grates Bouthwurd, cliiefly tiirou).'li the interior, as far as Patagonia. 



Long Island, rare T. V'., Auj;. and Sejit. 



A'tj(jn, tliree to t'our, deej) olive, liair-brown, or i-ioccoli-brown (sometimes 

 paler), usually more or less spotted with darker brown, but sometimes nearly 

 uniform, 2-20 x 1-42 (Ridgw.). 



This bird resembles the preceding in habits, and like it is rare on 

 the Atlantic coast. 



Tlio Tii.AOK-TAii.Ei) (lODWiT (:?/i2. Liinond litiinsa) inliabits the northern 

 parts of the Old-World and is of acci<lental occurrence in Greenland. 



254« Totaniis melanoleucus (Omel.). Gkeater Ykli.ow-i.kos. 

 Ad. in xu»i>iiir.—\J\>\wr parts l>luck, the head and neck streaked and the 

 back spotted or barred with wliite or asliy ; upper tnil-coveits white, more or 

 less liarred with ])lack ; tail white or asiiy, barred witli black ; breast heavily 

 Piuitted with black ; sides barred with black ; middle of the belly white. 

 Winter plumaffe.—^'unWur. but upper parts brownish pray, edged with whit- 

 ish ; sides of the scapulars, tertiuls, and wing-coverts with blackish and 

 whitish spots; breast only lightly streaked with blackish, u. sides slightly 

 barred. L., 1400 ; W., 7-70 ; Tar., 2-40 ; B., 2-20. 



Kitfifje.—'Sorth America ; breeds from Minnesota and rarely northern Illi- 

 nois ami .\nticosti northward ; winters from the Gulf States to Patagonia. 



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

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

 Sing, common T. V., to June 5 ;— to Oct. 28. Camliridgc, common T. V., Apl. 

 15 to .May 25; Sept. and Oct. 



^f7f/,<f,' three to four, brownish huffy, distinctly but very irregularly spotted 

 with rich vandyke- or madder-brown, 1-43 x 1-20 (Kidgw.). 



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 

 weathercocVs with the wind, and hear the dull booming of surf be- 

 hind the brown sand dunes. 



