404 GAME BIRDS OF CALIFOMNIA 



The ease of the Greater Yellow-legs at Los Banos, Merced County, 

 may be cited as an example of the value of continuous, recorded obser- 

 vations in one locality. R. H. Beck collected for the California 

 Museum of Vertebrate Zoology at this locality during the winter of 

 1911-1912, and to judge the status of this species from the specimens 

 secured would give a quite different idea from that obtained by an 

 examination of his field notes. The following table, compiled from 

 Beck's notebook has added to it memoranda of specimens taken and 

 now in the Museum : 



1911 1912 

 Nov. 24 several Mar. 13 several 

 Nov. 28 heard and seen Mar. 16 several 



Nov. 30 four seen Mar. 22 about two dozen; one taken 



Dec. 4 four seen Mar. 25 three or four seen 



Dec. 5 seen; two taken Mar. 30 several; five taken 



Dee. 9 several; one taken Apr. 2 several; one taken 



Dec. 13 several; one taken Apr. 4 not rare 



Dec. 18 several Apr. 5 one taken 



Dee. 21 three or four Apr. 6 not rare 



Dec. 26 several Apr. 8 one taken 



Dec. 28 a few singly or in threes and Apr. 10 four or five; one taken 



fours; one taken Apr. 12 one flock of 22; others seen; 



seven taken 



1912 Apr. 15 common; one flock of two 

 Jan. 2 two dozen or so; one taken dozen; usually one or two 

 Jan. 3 few at a time along some 

 Jan. 15 several water; five taken 



Jan. 24 three or four Apr. 16 one taken ' 



Feb. 15 several Apr. 17 eight and several single birds 



Feb. 23 two or three taken Apr. 19 two or three; one taken 



Mar. 4 six or eight; one taken Apr. 22 two dozen or so; one taken 



Mar. 6 a half dozen seen Apr. 24 six taken 



Mar. 11 twelve or more Apr. 26 few seen; one taken 



Probably more dates would have been recorded in the above table 

 had Mr. Beck spent a part of every day in the field; but a goodly 

 portion of his time was spent in the preparation of specimens so that 

 sometimes several days would elapse without any extensive observa- 

 tions in the field. The value of such observations as the above, becomes 

 evident when it is recalled that the information previously on record 

 in published literature was inadequate to establish this bird as a 

 regular winter visitant within the state. 



The Greater Yellow-legs is to be distinguished from other waders 

 by its moderately large size, general appearance of slenderness, espe- 

 cially in flight, slender straight bill, mottled upper surface, white 

 upper tail coverts which give the effect of a white rump patch, and 

 especially by its long, slender, yellow legs. From its nearest relative, 

 the Lesser Yellow-legs, it is to be distinguished on the basis of size, 



