BIRDS OF THE SALT MARSHES 



jaunes of the Acadians, is a third larger than 

 the lesser, and is indeed a fine bird. Both 

 birds have long pointed wings, and they alter- 

 nately scale and fly with down-curved strokes ; 

 both lift their wings high over their backs 

 before folding them on alighting, and both 

 nervously teeter. They peck at their food 

 with sudden thrusts, more in the manner of 

 a plover than a sandpiper, and both have call 

 notes, which, although very similar in the two 

 species, are yet easily distinguished. The 

 alarm notes are a series of loud wheus, deep 

 and in volleys of six or eight in the case of 

 the " winter," but in less number and higher 

 pitched in the case of the ' ' summer. ' ' 



Not infrequently in the spring the marshes 

 are filled with sweet and plaintive whistlings, 

 the love song of the greater yellow-legs. If 

 a man appears on the scene, the tone changes 

 to one of loud alarm, which warns not only 

 their own species of danger, but aU other 

 shore birds within hearing. At times they 

 give vent to a prolonged roll, like that of a 

 flicker, but the notes follow each other so 

 slowly it is possible to cormt them, an impos- 

 sibility in the case of the flicker. This roll 

 is heard at times in the fall, and is also given, 



247 



