BAR-TAILED GODWIT. 263 



short, of twelve rounded feathers, almost even, the four 

 middle feathers being slightly longer. 



The bill is dull flesh-coloured, dusky toward the end, 

 more of the lower mandible being of the former colour. 

 The iris is brown. The tarsi and toes are dull greyish-blue ; 

 the claws black. The upper part of the head, its sides, and 

 the neck all round are pale grey, with numerous small 

 longitudinal brownish-grey streaks. A broad band of white 

 from the bill over the eye. The throat, breast, sides, 

 abbomen, and lower tail-coverts are white ; as are the lower 

 wing-coverts, excepting those bordering the wing, which 

 have a grey central patch. The feathers of the fore part of 

 the back and the scapulars are grey, with an oblong brown 

 central streak ; the rest of the back white, as are the upper 

 tail-coverts, some of which, however, have two or three 

 dusky bands. The tail-feathers have eight dusky bars, the 

 intervals and margins white. The primary quills, coverts, 

 and alular feathers are greyish-black, margined, except a 

 few of the outer, with white ; the secondary quills are more 

 grey, the inner like the feathers of the back, all margined 

 with white ; the secondary coverts greyish-brown, with broad 

 white margins ; the smaller coverts dusky, margined with 

 greyish-white. 



Length to end of tail 15 inches ; extent of wings 30 ; bill 

 along the ridge 3-j-|, along the edge of lower mandible 3\%; 

 wing from flexure 8^-; tail 3^; bare part of tibia 1; tarsus 

 S-j 2 ^-; first toe ^-, its claw 1 2 3 -; second toe -J- 1 , its claw^-; 

 third toe 1-^, its claw -^ ; fourth toe 1-J^, its claw -^. 



Female. — The female resembles the male, but is con- 

 siderably larger. 



Length to end of tail 17^ inches ; extent of wings 31 ; 

 bill along the ridge 4 ; wing from flexure 9£ ; tail 3 ; bare 

 part of tibia 1-^ ; tarsus 1-^- ; middle toe 1^-, its claw ^. 



Changes of Plumage. — Not having met with this species 

 in summer, during which season it seems to absent itself 

 from Britain, I translate the following account of it from 

 M. Temminck's Manual. 



