92 



PLOVER GROUP 



the godwits, the summcr-drcss is rufous and the winter grey, so that 

 these birds are much better called godwits than snipe, as is the practice 

 of some ornithologists. There is considerable individual variation in 

 the length of the beak of the present species, which is a native in 

 summer of Arctic America, where it breeds, and in winter visits Texas 

 and Central America. Twenty-three instances, some less authentic 

 and satisfactory than others, of the occurrence of this species in the 

 British Isles were recorded during the last centur\-, two of the cases 

 including more than a single bird. The\- refer to England, Scotland, 



and Ireland ; the only 

 records for the latter 

 island being, however, 

 a couple of specimens 

 obtained on different 

 occasions in the year 

 1893. 



In length this 

 bird does not exceed 

 I I inches ; and the 

 beak is pitted at the 

 extremity as in snipes. 

 In summer-plumage 

 the upper-parts are 

 black spotted with 

 pale chestnut, except 

 the lower part of the 

 back, which is white, 

 spotted and barred near the tail with black ; the tail-feathers are dark 

 brown barred with white : the .secondaries are margined and mottled 

 with white, and have white shafts, and the under surface is pale chest- 

 nut sparsely spotted with black on the upper part of the breast, and 

 barred on the flanks. Except for a somewhat longer beak, the hen 

 scarcely differs from the cock. In winter the upper-parts are greyish 

 brown, with black shaft -streaks to the feathers of the back ; the 

 wing-coverts are fringed with white ; and the chestnut of the under- 

 parts is replaced by white streaks on the chest and barred on the 

 flanks with dusky. Young birds resemble the adults in summer- 

 plumage ; but have the brown of the upper-parts paler, and the chest- 

 nut more marked. 



HE ROWLAND WARD STUDIOS 



KKD-BREASTi;i) GODWIT. 



