(GREATER YELLOWSHANK.)
+Totanus melanoleucus+, _Burm. La-Plata Reise_, ii. p. 503; _Baird,
Brew., et Ridgw. Water-B. N. A._ i. p. 269; _Seebohm, Plovers_,
p. 363; _Barrows, Auk_, 1884, p. 315 (Entrerios). +Gambetta
melanoleuca+, _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 145; _iid. P. Z. S._
1868, p. 144 (Buenos Ayres); _Durnford, Ibis_, 1877, p. 199
(Buenos Ayres); _Withington, Ibis_, 1888, p. 472 (Lomas de
Zamora). +Totanus chilensis+, _Philippi, Wiegm. Arch._ 1857, pt.
i. p. 264 (Chili).
_Description._--Above brownish grey spotted with white; rump nearly
white: beneath white; throat and neck with black streaks; bill
black; feet yellow: whole length 14·0 inches, wing 7·5, tail 3·4.
_Female_ similar.
_Hab._ North and South America.
The Greater Yellowshank is best known as an Arctic American species,
descending south during migration, and arriving in La Plata at the end
of September or early in October, singly or in pairs, and sometimes in
small flocks. Without ever being abundant the bird is quite common, and
one can seldom approach a pool or marsh on the pampas without seeing
one or more individuals wading near the margin, and hearing their
powerful alarm-cry--a long clear note repeated three times.
These summer visitors leave us in March, and then, oddly enough, others
arrive, presumably from the south, to winter on the pampas, and remain
from April to August. Thus, notwithstanding that the Yellowshank
does not breed on the pampas, we have it with us all the year round.
Durnford's observations agree with mine, for he says that the bird is
found throughout the year near Buenos Ayres; and Mr. Barrows writes
that this species "occurs every month in the year (at Concepcion in
Entrerios), but in increased numbers during August, September, October,
and November."