Jan., 1909. Birds of Illinois and Wisconsin — Cory. 413 



Genus TOTANUS Bechstein. 



124. Totanus melanoleucus (Gmel.)- 



Greater Yellow-legs. 



Local names: Winter Yellow-leg. Stone Snipe. Telltale. 



Distr.: Greater portion of America, breeding from Wisconsin and, 

 perhaps northern Illinois, northward, and migrating south in winter 

 to Middle and South America as far as Chili and Argentine Republic 

 and the West Indies. 



Greater Yellow-legs. 



Adult hi summer: Bill, nearly straight; upper plumage, mottled 

 with white and black; upper tail coverts, white, barred with black; 

 throat, white, streaked with black; chin, whitish; breast, white, 

 heavily streaked with black; rest of under parts, white, irregularly 

 marked with black; middle of belly, nearly always pure white; bill, 

 black, and legs, yellow. 



Adult in winter: Top of the head and neck, streaked white and 

 dark brown; back, brown, the feathers narrowly edged with whitish; 

 chin, white; breast, white, narrowly lined with dark brown; rest of 

 under parts, white;, bill, black, and legs, yellow. 



Length, 14; wing, 7.75; tarsus, 2.45; bill, 2.30. 



This species is a common migrant and casual summer resident in 

 Illinois and Wisconsin. It may breed in northern Illinois and there 

 is little doubt that it does so in Wisconsin. The clear, sharp, whistling 

 note, repeated rapidly four or five times, descending in semi-tones 



