Shore-bird Shooting 413 



through eye to nape, seal-brown ; throat and abdomen, white ; 

 rest of lower parts, buffy white. 



Measurements — Length, n inches; wing, 6 inches; oilmen, 1.50 

 inches ; tarsus, 2 inches. 



Eggs — Four in number ; light drab in color, with blotches and spots 

 of brown; measure 1.68 by 1.12 inches. 



Habitat — Breeds from northern Quebec, Kenewatin, and Assiniboia, 

 and probably British Columbia, to the Arctic Coast of Alaska and 

 the Barren Grounds, and has been reported breeding in western 

 New York, Illinois, and in Chili. Winters from the West 

 Indies, Florida, Louisiana, and southern California to Argen- 

 tina, Chili, and Patagonia, and is reported in Louisiana, Argen- 

 tina, and Chili through all the year. On the Atlantic Coast of 

 the United States it is common in fall, but very rare in spring ; 

 common at both seasons in the Mississippi Valley, and rare 

 west of the Rocky Mountains south of British Columbia. It 

 has been recorded from the Pribilof Islands, Greenland, and 

 Great Britain, and occurs in Bermuda. 



A smaller edition of the greater yellowlegs, 

 this bird is one of our best-known and widely dis- 

 tributed shore-birds, occurring throughout North 

 America, extending generally into South America 

 as far as Patagonia. In the United States the 

 lesser yellowlegs is a regular summer visitor to 

 the marshes that line the Atlantic Coast; arriv- 

 ing early in August, they are among the first of 

 our shore-birds to start the procession south. On 

 the coast in the salt-water marshes and meadows, 

 where the grass is short, are their favorite haunts, 

 and the clear note of a summer yellowleg is per- 

 haps the first welcome sound in the early morn- 

 ing heard from the blind on the marsh. Soon 

 the birds are in evidence, and, if within hearing 



