106 BIRDS OF ALABAMA. 



On the latter date about 100 were seen. An occasional bird 

 may pass the winter on the Gulf coast, one having been taken 

 on Dauphin Island, February 13, 1912. 



Migration with this species begins usually in March and 

 continues till May. Early migrants arrived at Greensboro, 

 March 15, 1884, and March 25, 1898, but the bird is not ordi- 

 narily seen before early April. 



General habits. — The lesser yellow-legs, a miniature of the 

 greater yellow-legs, is even more abundant during migration 

 than the larger species and often occurs in large flocks. It 

 frequents wet, short-grass marshes, mud flats, and shallow 

 ponds in cultivated fields. It is of rather a nervous disposi- 

 tion and easily alarmed, but it decoys readily and may some- 

 times be approached on foot rather closely. Its alarm notes 

 consist of a sharp, mellow whistle of three or four notes rapid- 

 ly repeated. 



Food habits. — This bird feeds mainly on insects, including 

 ants, bugs, flies, and grasshoppers, and on small crustaceans, 

 small fishes, and worms. 



SOLITARY SANjDPIPER: Tringa solitcma soUta/ria 



Wilson.* 



State records. — The solitary sandpiper is an abundant mi- 

 grant, occurring in spring chiefly during April and May and 

 in fall from the middle of July to late in September. The 

 earliest date of arrival is that given by Brown, of birds seen 

 at Coosada, March 28, 1878. At Greensboro first arrivals 

 were noted by Avery, April 15, 1893, and April 18, 1891. At 

 Leighton the bird is common from April 15 to May 10 

 (McCormack). A very late bird was seen by the writer at 

 Bayou Labatre, May 20, 1911, and Golsan reports several seen 

 at Autaugaville as late even as May 23 (1913) . South bound 

 migrants appear in northern Alabama by the middle of July 

 (Stevenson, July 15, 1911; Leighton, July 17, 1893) and are 

 more or less common during late summer. The last seen at 

 Greensboro were noted September 29 (1891). Several speci- 



*He]odromas soUtarias soKtariiu of the A. O. V. Check-list; far chanee of name Be» 

 The Auk, voL 37, p. 443, 1920. 



