436 SCOLOPACIDiE. 



These birds have nowhere been observed in England later 

 than the beginning of summer, from which fact the infer- 

 ence is fairly drawn that they do not breed in this country. 

 Their habits differ in no material respects from the other 

 sea-side Waders, with whom they frequently mingle while 

 feeding, not, seemingly, for the sake of good fellowship, 

 but attracted by a motive common to all, that of picking 

 up food wherever an abundance is to be met with. Their 

 note is a loud, shrill cry, often uttered while on the wing. 

 The female is much larger than the male. 



This bird is sometimes called the Sea Woodcock. Its 

 flesh is good eating, but is far inferior in flavour to that 

 of the true Woodcock. 



THE BLACK-TAILED GODWIT. 



LIMOSA MELANURA. 



Beak nearly straight ; middle claw long and serrated ; upper parts ash-brown, 

 the shafts of the feathers somewhat deeper; breast and adjacent parts 

 greyish white ; tail black, the base, and the tips of the two middle feathers, 

 white ; beak orange at the base, black at the point ; feet dusky. Summer — 

 much of the plumage tinged with red. Length seventeen and a half inches. 

 Eggs deep olive, spotted with light brown. 



This bird is, in outward appearance, mainly distinguished 

 from the preceding by having two-thirds of the tail black, 

 instead of being barred throughout with white and black. 

 Like its congener, it is most frequently seen in autumn 

 and spring, while on the way to and from its breeding- 

 ground in the north ; but it does not stay with us through 

 winter, though occasionally a few pairs remain in the fen- 

 countries to breed. It is by far the less common of the 

 two, and seems to be getting annually more and more 

 rare. Its habits, as far as they have been observed, 

 approach those of the other Scolopacidse. In its flight it 

 resembles the Eedshank. Its note is a wild screaming 

 whistle, which it utters while on the wing. It builds its 

 nest in swamps, among rushes and sedges, simply collect- 

 ing a few grasses and roots into any convenient hole, and 

 there it lays four eggs. 



