'telltale spine' definitions:

Definition of 'telltale spine'

From: GCIDE
  • Tattler \Tat"tler\, n.
  • 1. One who tattles; an idle talker; one who tells tales. --Jer. Taylor. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. (Zool.) Any one of several species of large, long-legged sandpipers belonging to the genus Totanus. [1913 Webster]
  • Note: The common American species are the greater tattler, or telltale (Totanus melanoleucus), the smaller tattler, or lesser yellowlegs (Totanus flavipes), the solitary tattler (Totanus solitarius), and the semipalmated tattler, or willet. The first two are called also telltale, telltale spine, telltale tattler, yellowlegs, yellowshanks, and yelper. [1913 Webster]