208 



LIMOSA. GODWIT. 



A difference greater than that between Pluvialis and 

 Charadrius, Glottis and Totanus, Totanns and Actitis, pre- 

 sents itself among the birds which the more recent authors 

 have referred to the genus Limosa. Thus Limosa rufa has 

 the bill re-arcuate, Limosa melanura straight; the tibia of 

 the former has not half so much bare space as that of the 

 latter, its tarsus is a third shorter, its toes are rather short 

 and broad, while those of the other bird are rather long and 

 slender ; and the claws of the two species are considerably 

 different, that of the middle toe being short and rounded in 

 the one, while in the other it is long, tapering, and serrated. 

 Differences much less than these make genera, in the opinion 

 of many of our modern ornithologists. But in this case, 

 seeing that the bill is of the same form, although more or 

 less curved, the plumage exactly similar, and the feet varying 

 only in their degree of elongation, it is hardly necessary to 

 break up the established genus, which, in respect to the 

 variations exhibited by its species, is similar to Tringa. 



The birds of which this genus is composed have the body 

 moderate ; the neck long and rather slender ; the head 

 rather small, oblong, compressed, rounded above, narrowed 

 and sloping anteriorly. The bill, twice the length of the head 

 or more, is slender, higher than broad at the base, tapering, 

 toward the end rather depressed, and generally in its whole 

 length slightly curved upwards ; both mandibles flexible, 

 grooved almost to the end, with the tips firm and bluntish, 

 that of the lower being shorter ; the edges soft, blunt, and 

 grooved. The mouth very narrow ; the upper mandible in- 

 ternally with a deep medial groove ; the tongue long, slender, 

 fleshy at the base, then horny, trigonal, grooved above, and 

 tapering to a fine point. (Esophagus narrow, uniform ; 

 stomach elliptical, compressed, with strong lateral muscles, 



