58 BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



Limosa hsemastica (Linn.) 



HUDSONIAN GODWIT. 



Scolopax hcemastica LINN. S. N. ed. 10, i, 1758, 147. 



Limosa hcemastica COUES, B. N. W. 1874, 760; Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, 1880, 100; Check 

 List, ed. 2, 1882, No. 629.-KiDew. Norn. N. Am. B. 1881, No. 545; Man. N. Am. B. 

 1887, 164. B. B. & K. Water B. N. Am. i, 1884, 260. A. O. U. Check List, 1886, No. 251. 

 Scolopax hudsonica LATH. Ind. Orn. ii, 1790, 720. 



Limosa hndsonica Sw. &EICH. F. B.-A. ii, 1831, 3!)6. NUTT. Man. ii, 1834, 175. AUD. 

 Orn. Biog. iii, 18*5, 426; v,592, pi. 258; Synop. 1839, 247; B. Am. v, 1842, 335, pi. 349. 

 CASS. in Baird's B. N. Am. 1858, 741.-BAIBD, Cat. N. Am. B. 1859. No. 548, COUES, 

 Key, 1872, 258; Check List, 1874, No. 429; Birds N. W. 1874, 494. 



HAB. Eastern North America and the whole of Middle and South America. No West 

 Indian localities recorded except Cuba. Breeds only northward. 



SP. CHAB. Smaller than L.fedoa. Summer adult : Above, blackish brown, irregularly 

 spotted and barred with pale ochraceous.the rump plain brownish black; upper tail-coverts 

 immaculate white; wing-coverts and shorter quills plain dark brownish gray; primaries 

 brownish black, their shafts white. Lower parts chestnut-rufous, narrowly barred with 

 brownish black, the feathers of the belly, etc., often tipped with white. Tail black, with the 

 base and tip (narrowly) white. Lining of wings and axillars plain smoky black. Winter 

 plumage : Above, plain dull brownish gray; beneath, white, the breast shaded with brown- 

 ish gray. Other characters as in summer dress. Young : Somewhat like the winter plum- 

 age, but each feather of dorsal region marked with a subterminal dusky crescent and a 

 narrower terminal one of dullochraceous; beneath very pale drab, or dull light buff, the 

 abdomen whitish, and the jugulum more grayish. " Bill grayish yellow, dark brown along 

 the ridge of the upper mandible, and blackish towards the tips of both; iris brown; feet 

 light grayish blue." (AUDUBON.) 



This species resembles somewhat the European L. limosa, 

 having the tail marked much the same as in that species. The 

 latter, however, has two white patches on the wing (which in 

 the present bird has no white at all, except the shafts of the 

 primaries), and the axillars pure white instead of brownish 

 black. There are also other differences of coloration, while the 

 proportions are quite different, Z. limosa having the bill and 

 legs much longer. 



South American specimens are quite identical with northern 

 ones. 



This species is an abundant migrant in our State, making its 

 appearance both in April and October. Like the Marbled God- 

 wit it is fine eating, and on account of its size is, like that 

 species, much sought by gunners. 



