106 BIRDS OF THE WORLD 



but it is met with also in Africa and in Asia, It is a 

 larger bird than the Common English Snipe, has rela- 

 tively shorter beak and legs and more closely barred 

 under-parts. See Plate 31, Fig. 179. 



The Willet is a common North' American bird of 

 the Snipe family, with black-lined wings and other- 

 wise varied plmnage. It is rather large, has a heavier 

 bill than most of the Snipes, and bluish feet. 



A well-known marsh bird of this country is the Yel- 

 lowlegs, named from its conspicuously bright yellow 

 legs. This and the preceding species are members of 

 a group called Tattlers, from their habit of giving 

 shrill cries on the approach of sportsmen. Their flesh 

 is highly prized for the table. These birds are found 

 in summer throughout the temperate parts of North 

 America, migrating in winter to Central and South 

 America. Their plumage is, in general, a mixture of 

 black and white, in spots and streaks. They are semi- 

 palmated, or partly webbed, and can swim, fly and run 

 with equal facility. The Greater Yellowlegs and the 

 Lesser Yellowlegs are similar in colouring, but the 

 second is considerably smaller than the first named 

 and has relatively longer legs. 



The Woodcock is found in both the Old World and 

 the New and differs but little in colour. The Euro- 

 pean species is much larger than the American and has 

 the breast barred, while that of our bird is whole- 

 coloured. The plumage is a beautiful mixture of 

 russet-brown and black and there is a transverse black 

 bar across the top of the head. The Woodcock is 

 closely allied to the true Snipe, having the long, 

 straight, sensitive bill common to that family, the 



