Yellow-legs 121 
scarce; south on migration throughout the United States to winter 
along the Gulf Coast and south California, and thence to the Argentine 
and Chili. 
The Greater Yellow-legs is wu fairly common migrant throughout 
the State both in spring and autumn, in the plains and mountain parks ; 
it has been noticed by Rockwell as high as 10,000 feet on the Grand 
Mesa. It reaches Loveland the first week in April from the south, and 
Rockwell saw one as early as March 28th, at Orchard. It has not yet 
been found nesting in the State, but there is no reason why it should not 
do so, and Felger has noticed it at Barr every month from March to 
October. Additional records are Boulder co. (Henderson), Palmer 
Lake, August 5th, and South Park (Allen), Middle Park (Carter), 
Wet Mountain Valley (Baker) and Fort Lyon, Thorne (Cooke). 
Habits.—The Yellow-legs is in no way different from 
other Sandpipers in its habits ; it is found in small flocks 
or pairs, as a rule, along the shores of lakes or in marshy 
ground where it wades along the shallows in search of 
snails, worms, minnows and other aquatic animals which 
form its food. When disturbed it rises with a loud 
whistling cry, often wheeling round and circling back 
again to the same spot. 
The nest is usually placed on the ground near a marsh 
and constructed chiefly of grasses. The eggs, four 
in number, are greyish-white, spotted or blotched with 
dark brown, and measure about 175 x 1°31. 
Yellow-legs. Totanus flavipes. 
A.O.U. Checklist no 255—Colorado Records—Allen 72, p. 152; 
Drew 85, p. 18; Beckham 85, p. 143; Morrison 89, p. 168; Cooke 
97, pp. 18, 66, 200; Henderson 03, p. 234; 09, p. 228; Rockwell 08, 
p. 159; Hersey & Rockwell 09, p. 116. 
Description.—Closely resembling 7’. melanoleucus in plumage but 
very decidedly smaller in all dimensions. Length 9-25; wing 6-50; 
tail 2-4; culmen 1-4; tarsus 2-1. 
Distribution.—Breeding far north on Hudson Bay and the Barren 
Grounds; south on migration, most abundantly through the eastern 
United States, and wintering from the Gulf States to Patagonia. 
Occasionally in Europe. 
The Yellow-legs is only known, as a migrant in Colorado; in its 
movements and dates it follows closely the Greater Yellow-legs, in the 
