RED-BREASTED GODWIT 



9^ 



distance by its two -syllabled cry, uttered in couplets. In other 

 respects, and especially in the form of its nest, this godwit closely 

 resembles the black-tailed species, from which it is distinguished not 

 only by the more or less complete barring of the tail-feathers and tail- 

 coverts, but likewise by the shorter legs. The eggs, which are slightly 

 smaller on the average than those of the last species, are olive or olive- 

 brown in ground-colour, with sparse spots of light brown, which may be 

 aggregated at the larger end, and underlying spots of purplish grey. 



In the summer-dress of the male bar- tailed godwit the head, neck, 

 and under-parts are rich chestnut-red, with the feathers from the 



BAK-TAILKD GODWIT. 



crown to the breast marked by dark streaks, while the back and wing- 

 coverts are beautifully variegated with white, black, and brown ; the 

 lower part of the back is white streaked with black ; and the upper 

 tail-coverts and tail are white barred with black. In winter the upper- 

 parts are uniform grey and the under-parts white. Young birds 

 resemble the adults in their summer-dress, but have a tawny tinge, 

 most decidedly marked on the sides of the body, and rufous buff 

 mottlings on the upper-parts. The young in down are unknown. 



Red-breasted ^^ ^ mere straggler to the British coasts, a very 

 brief notice will suffice of the red-breasted godwit. 



Godwit 



(Maerorhamphus °^ red-breasted snipe, which together with its eastern 



griseus). relative, the snipe-billed godwit {M. scmipalmatus), 



represents a genus of godwit-like birds with long 



snipe-like beaks, broadening out and deeply pitted at the tip. As in 



