HUDSONIAN GODWIT. 175 



plaining, and may also be enticed within gun shot, by imi- 

 tating their whistling call, in the manner of the Curlew. 

 Indeed without some contrivance of this kind, they can 

 seldom ever be approached. They are seen, it appears, in 

 the Middle States as late as October, or November, but are 

 not met with on this coast beyond the close of September. 



Length of the male God wit, 19 inches ; of the female 21. Length 

 of the bill from above, in the male, 3 inches 9 lines ; of the female 4 

 inches 10 lines. Tarsus in the male 2 inches 10 lines ; of the female 

 3 inches. The bill very slightly curved upwards ; above, and at the 

 tip blackish-brown, on the sides and beneath dull flesh-color. Legs 

 greenish-black. Above dusky-brown, spotted or barred with different 

 tints of buff or ferruginous, head darker. On the fore part of the back, 

 scapulars, and tertiaries, the pale rust color forms transverse spots 

 or bars ; on the rump, tail, and its coverts, the pale bars are broader 

 than the dark ones. Four first quills blackish-brown, edged with buff; 

 their inner webs, the remaining quills, the secondaries, and part of the 

 greater coverts, bright yellowish-buff, sprinkled with black ; shaft 

 of the first quill brownish- white. Line from the nostrils to the up- 

 per eye-lid and the chin white ; cheeks the same, streaked with 

 dusky. Under j)lu7nagr bright wood-brown, with small dusky spots 

 on the neck} breast and flanks barred with the same. The whole 

 inside of the wings, and under surface of the tail, rufous-orange. — 

 In some specimens the inner wing coverts, and under tail coverts 

 are barred with liver-brown. Middle nail in some individuals notch- 

 ed, in others entire. 



HUDSONIAN GODWIT. 



(Limosa hudsonica, Swaixson, and Richard. North Zool. ii. p. 



396. Hudsonian Godicit, Lath. Penn. Arct. Zool. Suppl. ii. p. 



68. Scolopox hudsonica, Lath. Ind. ii. p. 720. sp. 20. Red- 

 breasted Godicit, Edwards, pi. 138.) 



Sp. Charact. — Bill very slightly recurved ; rump white ; tail some- 

 what doubly forked, black, with a white base and tip ; axillary 

 feathers black. — Summer plumage dusky-brown, varied with pale 



