84 
TOTANUS MELANOLEUCUS. 
white ; tail-coverts, white ; tail, also white, handsoin^'^ 
harred with dark olive ; wing-s, plain dusky, the sec®^ 
daries edged, and all the coverts edged and tipt V’’. 
white ; shafts, black ; eye, also black ; legs and nak^ 
thighs, long and yellow ; outer toe, united to the nii<l® 
one by a slight membrane ; claws, a horn colour. 
female can scai-cely he distinguished from the male. 
228. TOTANUS NELANOLEUCUS, ViriLL. 
SUOLOrAX rOCIFEEUS, WILSOK GODWIT, Oa SS'** 
WILSON, PLATE LVIII. FIG. V. 
This species and the preceding are both well kno’’* 
to our duck-gunners along the sea coast and marsl'*^ 
by whom they arc detested and stigmatized with * j 
names of the greater and lesser tell-tale, for th*! 
faithful vigilance in alarming the ducks with their I®*!! 
and shrill whistle, on the tirst glimpse of the gunU®{! 
approach. Of the two, the present species is by ^ 
the most watchful ; and its whistle, u Inch consists 
four notes rapidly repeated, is so loud, shrill, K. 
alarBiing, as instantly to arouse every duck within ’j 
hearing, and thus disappoints the eager espectations j 
the marksman. Yet the cunning and experience * 
the latter are frequently more than a match for an®, 
them ; and before the poor tell-tale is aware, his waruK 
voice is hushed for ever, and his dead body miug^ 
with those of his associates. 
This bird arrives on our coast early in April, bre®®j 
in the marshes, and continues until November, ab®'' 
the middle of which month it generally moves olf .. 
the south. The nest, I have been informed, is hui^ ^ 
a tuft ot thick grass, generally on the borders of a 
or morass. Ihe, female, it is said, lays four eggs, 
dingy white, irregnlaily marked with black. . 
These birds appear to be unknown in liurope. 
are simply mentioned by Mr Pennant, as having l’®® ( 
observed in autumn, feeding on the sands on the 1®" 
