BLACK-TAILED GODWIT 89 



mottled with black and barred with buff; the under-parts are white, 

 barred on the breast with pale chestnut and dark brown ; and the 

 lower part of the back and base of the tail white, the terminal portion 

 of the latter being black. The winter-dress is similar to that of the 

 next species. In young birds the base of the neck is tinged with red, 

 and the upper part of the breast with ashy brown, passing backwards 

 into grey. The chick is yellowish buff above, with black stripes on 

 the head, neck, and back, and yellowish beneath. 



In Great Britain the black-tailed godwit is a less common bird 

 than the next species, and is generally found singly or in small parties, 

 although in India during the cold season it is often met with in flocks 

 of from fifty to a hundred head. It reaches the British coasts on its 

 northward journey in April, and returns from August to October, 

 occasionally also putting in an appearance during the winter-months. 

 Only rarely is it seen inland ; and, with the exception of the marshes 

 of the Solway Firth, it is a scarce bird in Scotland, on the east coast 

 of which it is most frequently seen during the autumnal southern 

 journey. A specimen was, however, shot on June 7, 1907, in the inner 

 Hebrides, another at Barra on September 8, a third on Beauly Firth at 

 the end of November, and a fourth at St. Andrews on December 5 of 

 the same year. To Ireland this godwit is also only an occasional visitor, 

 chiefly in August and the following months. During the breeding- 

 season it has a peculiar habit of wheeling in circles at a great 

 height above its nest on the approach of intruders, uttering its loud 

 and characteristic shrieking cry. On the coast it feeds on various 

 small littoral and marine animals, but when on its inland breeding- 

 grounds subsists chiefly on insects, grubs, worms, snails, etc., although 

 it may also eat vegetable substances, since in India it is known to be 

 partial to millet and rice during winter. Advantage is taken of this 

 habit in Calcutta to feed these birds on grain for the table, and they 

 are commonly sold in the bazaar as woodcock. The nest is a mere 

 depression, without lining, in the moss on the bogs these birds chiefly 

 frequent for breeding purposes ; and the four eggs may be deposited 

 at any time between the latter part of April and the middle of May. 

 In colour the eggs, which measure from just over 2 to nearly 2^ 

 inches in length, range from olive-green to olive-buff, with spots, 

 blotches, and cloudings of pale yellowish and amber brown, usually 

 evenly distributed, and very faint under-markings of grey. From 

 12 to 14 oz. is the weight of a black-tailed godwit, against from 

 10 to 12 oz. in the next species. 



