395 
TOTANUS FLAVIPES (Viet). 
YELLOW LEGS: LESSER YELLOW SHANKS. 
| Specific Character.—Very similar to T. nilansieuvan but smaller and more 
| ender. Bill rather longer than head, straight,slender,rather compressed; wing,long, 
: pointed ; tail, short ; legs, long, lower half of tibia naked : toes, moderate, slender 
~ margined ; the outer and middle united at the base ; above ashy, mixed with 
ragged blotches of black, this having a tendency to form regular transverse bars 
_ on the secondaries and scapulars. Crown and nape with longitudinal streaksof black 
ona grayish white ground. Upper tail coverts pure white with transverse bars 
of dusky ; tail, white ; with middle feathers ashy, and all with transverse rather 
narrower bars of ash. Primaries and their coverts, plain dusky black. Lower 
_ parts, white; the jugulum and breast densely streaked with blackish, and the 
_ sides marked with more transverse markings of the same color. 
Total length about 10.50 inches ; extent, 20.00; wing, 5.50; culmen, 1.40; 
tarsus, 2.00 ; bill, black ; iris dark brown; legs and feet, bright yellow. 
Habitat.—The whole of America, breeding in the sub-Arctic regions, migrat- 
ing south to Buenos Ayres and Chili. This well known “ Yellow-legs” is very 
common throughout Ontario during its spring and fall migrations, being observed 
_ on the muddy flats ana marshy shores of our rivers and inlets. It lives on larve 
and small crustaceans, upon which it becomes very fat; and as it is often shot 
with snipe, it is considered equally good for the table. It passes north during 
April or early in May, and returns during September. Like the greater “ Yellow- 
legs,” it is fond of wading about in pools or the edge of streams for its food, some- 
times going completely under the water for a moment. 
