72 THE CHICAGO ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



This is a rather common species with us through the months 

 of August, September and October, when it may be seen along 

 the shore of Lake Michigan. About one-third of the specimens 

 which I have taken at Millers, Indiana, were in their breeding 

 plumage. Mr. E. W. Nelson says:* "Arrives in full breeding 

 plumage— which varies greatly with individuals — about the twen- 

 tieth of May, and is found in flocks, numbering from five to 

 seventy-five, along the shore, until June tenth. Returns the first 

 of August, still wearing its breeding dress, which is changed the 

 last of the month for the duller garb of winter." 



This species is nearly cosmopolitan in its range, breeding 

 only in the Arctic and Subarctic districts. In America, it mi- 

 grates southward to Chili and Patagonia. 



Genus LIMOSA Brisson, 1760. 



Limosa hxmastica (Linnaeus) . Hudsonian Godwit. 



Scolopax hwmastica LiNN^us, S. N., ed. 10, I, 1758, 147. 

 Limosa hcemastica Cotjes, Birds Northwest, 1874, 760. 

 Scolopax hudsonica Latham, Ind. Orn., II, 1790, 720. 

 Limosa hudsonica Sw. & Rich., Fauna Bor. Amer., II, 1831, 396. 



A rare migrant. I have observed this bird but once in Cook 

 County. I took a fine pair in June, 1892, at Gi-ass Lake, 

 Illinois. This species, as well as others of our large waders, 

 has become very scarce within our limits. On September 15, 

 1898, a fine male adult was taken at Wolf Lake, Indiana, by 

 Mr. Charles Brandler. Mr. E. W. Nelson says, regarding the 

 frequency of the occurrence of this species in our vicinity during 

 earlier years : "Not very rare during migrations. April fifteenth 

 to May tenth, and September to the first of October. More 

 common along the water courses in the western part of the 

 state." 



This Godwit breeds in the far north, and its range covers 

 eastern North America and the whole of Central and South 

 America. 



Genus TOTANUS Bechstein, 1803. 



Totanus melanoleucus (Gmelin). Greater Yellow-legs. 



Scolopax melanoleuca Gmelin, S. N., I, ii, 1788, 659. 

 Totanus melanoleucus Viellot, Nouv. Diet. d'Hist. Nat., VI, 1816, 398. 

 Popular synonyms. Stone Snipe. Tell-tale. Telpbe. Big Yellow- 

 legs. English Snipe. 



*Birds of Northeastern Illinois, Bull, of tbe Essex Institute, Vol. VIII, 1876, 123. 



