TELL-TALE TATLER. 317 



deed, I have found it in almost every district, and at all seasons. It spends 

 the winter along the shores of our estuaries, rivers, and ponds, and in the 

 rice-fields, from Maryland to Mexico. It is abundant then in South Caro- 

 lina, the Floridas, and along the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, as far as 

 Texas, where I found it in considerable numbers and paired, in the months 

 of April and May, along with the Yellow-shank Snipe, Totanus flavipes. 

 It is also met with in spring and autumn over the whole interior of the 

 country, and I have found it quite abundant at those seasons along the entire 

 length of the Mississippi, Ohio, and Missouri rivers, as well as on the 

 Arkansas. They congregate in great numbers in the inland marshes of 

 Florida, and along its rivers, during the winter. I found them near East- 

 port, in the State of Maine, on the 11th of May, 1833; and on the coast of 

 Labrador, on the 18th of June of the same year. In Newfoundland, on the 

 11th of August, the young were equal in size to their parents, and being 

 extremely fat, tender, and juicy, afforded excellent eating. In general, how- 

 ever, these birds are thin and have a fishy taste. 



In the State of Maine and the province of New Brunswick, the Tell-tale 

 is known by the name of "Humility," which, however, is an appellation 

 that ill accords with its vociferous habits. The Creoles of New Orleans call 

 it "Clou-clou;" and were these syllables rapidly enunciated from two to five 

 times in succession, the sounds would have some resemblance to the usual 

 notes of the species. 



When these Godwits arrive in the vicinity of New Orleans about the 

 middle of March, they appear in considerable flocks. They retire, however, 

 in the beginning of May, and return about the first of July, from which time 

 they continue there until the end of autumn, some indeed remaining all win- 

 ter. It seems, that at the period of their disappearance at New Orleans, they 

 retire to the vast marshes near the sea-shore, and there breed, for I have 

 found them abundant near the passes or mouths of the Mississippi in pairs, 

 on the first of April, when the air is warmer than in the interior. They are 

 said to breed in the marshes along the coast of New Jersey, where, accord- 

 ing to Wilson, they arrive early in April, and continue until November. It 

 is a curious fact that the Tell-tale Godwit, as well as some other birds of 

 similar habits, is of very rare occurrence along the shores of Massachusetts 

 and Maine. This, however, seems to be accounted for by the absence there 

 of the large spongy marshes, to which these birds are fond of resorting. 



Although found in the vicinity of both salt and fresh water, at all seasons, 

 it usually prefers the latter, and the spots which appear to be best adapted to 

 its nature are ponds of which the water is shallow and the shores muddy, so 

 that they can walk and wade at ease upon them. Wherever such ponds 

 occur, whether in plantations or in the interior of forests, or on extensive 



Vol. V. 45 



