352 TELL-TALE GOD WIT, OR SNIPE. 



TELL-TALE GODWIT, OR SNIPE. (Scolopax 

 vociferus.) 



PLATE LVIIL— Fig. 5. 



Stone Snipe, Arct. Zool. p. 468, No. 37G.—Turt. Si/st. p. 396.— PeaWs Museum, 



No. 3940. 



TOTANUS MELANOLEUCUS.-Yi-eiu.ot.* 

 T. melanoleucus, OrcCs reprint of Wils. p. 61. — Bonap. Synop. p. 324. 



This species and the preceding are both well known to our 

 duck-gunners along the sea-coast and marshes, by whom they 

 are detested, and stigmatised with the names of the greater 

 and lesser tell-tale, for their faithful vigilance in alarming the 

 ducks with their loud and shrill whistle on the first glimpse 

 of the gunner's approach. Of the two, the present species is 

 by far the most watchful ; and its whistle, which consists of 

 four notes rapidly repeated, is so loud, shrill, and alarming, 

 as instantly to arouse every duck within its hearing, and thus 

 disappoints the eager expectations of the marksman. Yet 

 the cunning and experience of the latter are frequently more 

 than a match for all of them ; and before the poor tell-tale 

 is aware, his warning voice is hushed for ever, and his dead 

 body mingled with those of his associates. 



* Bonaparte in his " Nomenclature" remarks, " This bird is undoubt- 

 edly the S. melanoleuca of Gmelin and Latham, first made known by 

 Pennant. Why Wilson, who was aware of this, should have changed 

 the name, we are at a loss to conceive. Mr Ord was, therefore, right in 

 restoring it." 



The species has not been discovered out of North America, and will 

 take the place in that country of the European greenshank. 



Totanus is a genus of Bechstein, now generally acknowledged as the 

 proper place for the sandpipers of this form. Many of them do not 

 undergo so decided a change during the breeding season, breed more 

 inland, and, during winter, are as frequently found on the banks of 

 rivers and lakes, or in inland marshes, as upon the shores. They are 

 extremely noisy when first disturbed ; a single individual readily gives 

 the note of alarm ; and when their nests are approached, they display 

 more of the habit of the Plovers.— Ed. 



