SCOLOPACID^C — THE SNIPE FAMILY. 57 



Limosa fedoa (Linn.) 



MAKBLED GODWIT. 



Popular synonyms. Marlin; Straight-billed Curlew. 



Scolopax fedoa Linn. S. N. i. ed. 10, i. 1758, 146; ed. 12, 1766, 244.— WrLS. Am. Orn. vii. 1813, 

 30, pi. 56, f. 4. 

 Limosa fedoaOnv, ed.Wilson, vii, 1824,30— Sw.& Rich. RB.-A.ii, 1831, 335.-NuTT.ii, 1834- 

 173.— Aud. Orn. Biog. iii, 1835, 287; v, 590, pi. 238; Synop. 1830, 246; B. Am. v, 1812, 331, 

 pi. 348.— Cass, in Baird's B. N. Am. 1858, 740.— Baibd, Cat N. Am. B. 1859, No. 547.— 

 Coues, Key, 1872, 257; Check List, 1874, No. 528; Birds N. W. 1874, 492— B. B. &R. 

 Water B. N. Am. i, 1884. 255— A. O. U. Check List, 1886, No. 249— Eidgw. Man. N. Am. 

 B. 1887, 163. 

 Limosa fceda Ridgw. Norn N. Am. B. 1881, No. 543.— CouES.Check List, 2d ed. 1882, No. 628. 

 Hab. North America; breeding in the interior of the continent (Missouri region and 

 northward), wintering southward to Yucatan and Guatemala; Cuba. 



Sp. Chab. Bill long, curved upwards; both mandibles grooved; wings long; tail short; 

 legs long; tibia with its lower half naked; toes rather short, margined and flattened under- 

 neath ; the outer and middle toes united by a large membrane. Entire upper parts varie - 

 gated with brownish black and pale reddish, the former disposed in irregular and confluent 

 bands, and the latter in spots and imperfect bands; in many specimens the black color pre- 

 dominating on the back, and the pale reddish on the rump and upper tail-coverts. Under 

 parts pale cinnamon, with transverse lines of brownish black on the breast and sides; under 

 wing-coverts and axillaries darker cinnamon ; outer webs of primaries dark brown, inner 

 webs light cinnamon; secondaries light cinnamon ; tail light blackish brown; iris brown; 

 feet bluish gray. (Audubon.) 



Total length about 18.00 inches; wing, 9.00; tail, 4.00-5.00; tarsus, 3.00 inches. * 



The plumage of this bird is in some stages wonderfully similar 

 to that of Nwnervms longvrosbris; in fact the resemblance is so 

 great that were it not for the conspicuous generic difference it 

 would be rather difficult to distinguish them specifically. Both 

 have precisely the same tints of color, and also a nearly identi- 

 cal distribution of the markings. The main differences appear 

 to be the following: In Nivmenim the black bars of the upper 

 parts are connected by broad stripes along the middle of the 

 feathers, while in Lvmosa these bars are all isolated and nar- 

 rower, as well as of a less deep black. The longitudinal streaks 

 on the head and neck arc much less conspicuous in Limosa; in 

 the latter there is also oftener a tendency to transverse- bars on 

 the crissnm, and less often to streaks on the foreneek. 



This fine bird is a rather common migrant in Illinois, known 

 to sportsmen by the names of Marlin. Godwit, and Straight- 

 hilled Curlew. We have nothing special bo offer concerning its 

 habits. 



♦ \ series of ten specimens, Including an eqrual number of males and female*, ahol by 

 Mr. Franklin Banner, In Minnesota, between Jnne 5th and loth, was carefullj measured, 

 with the following results: Vales. Total length, lti e. 17.00; extent, 



ige, 31.10; bill. 3. 6fi 1.00, average, 8.84 Total length, 18. 12-19 



age, 19.10; extent, 32 00-83.87, a 32; bill, 1.64 5.06, average, i". I8ee "BulL Xutt. 



Orn. I v, J in 1880, p. 18.) 



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