\S<^~- 



THE BAK-TAILED GODWIT. 



LIMOSA RUFA. 



Beak slightly cui-ved upwards : middle claw short, without serratures. Winter 

 —upper pliimage variously mottled with gi'ey, dusky, and reddish ash ; lower 

 part of the back white, with dusky spots ; tail barred with reddish white and 

 dusky ; lower parts white. Summer — all the plumage deeply tinged with red. 

 Young birds have the throat and breast brownish white, streaked with dusky, 

 and a few dusky lines on the flanks. Length sixteen inches. Eggs unknown. 



On tlie coast of ISTorfolk, where I made my first acquaint- 

 ance with, this bird in the fresh state, it is called a Half- 

 Curlew. In like manner, a Wigeon is called a Half-Duck. 

 In either case the reason for giving the name is, that the 

 smaller bird possesses half the market value of the larger. 

 It resembles the Curlew in its flight and the colour of its 

 plumage ; but diff'ers in having its long beak slightly 

 curved upwards, while that of the Curlew is strongly 

 arched downwards ; and it is far less wary, allowing itself 

 to be approached so closely that it falls an easy prey to 

 the fowler. It appears to be most frequently met with in 

 autumn, when it visits many parts of the coast in small 

 flocks. In Norfolk it is met with throughout the winter. 

 The specimens which were brought to me were shot in 

 the very severe weather which ushered in the year 1861. 

 F F 2 



