212 



LlAWiA HUDSONICA. 



(IKNUS XII. LTMOSA. THE GODWITS. 



('i]iN. Cu. Dill, inori; than tivice as lonij as liead. slimier, not r^rpanJed at lip, hut sli(jhtly curved vpward. Coracoids,. 

 exce.edint/ in Icmjtli the hciijhi of keel. Marginal inc/enlations , four in yvunij, Iwu in adult. 



The stomnoli is cuboiil in f .riii, quite iiiu<oular, ami i-; lined with a luird ru.aose meinbmne. The legs are stout ami 

 there are prciminent ineuibranc^i between toes; hut, exeepting t!ieso diffi'-cnces and tliose given above, members of tlii^ ge- 

 nus resemljlo the preceding in anatomical and other ciiaracters. S-'Xcs, quite similar. There are two species -witliin oar 

 limits. 



LIMOSA HUDSONICA. 



Hudsonian Godwit. 



Limosa Hudsonica Sw., F. B. x\., II; 1831. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Si'. Cn. Form, roliust. Size, medium. Toes, slightly miirgined. Tongue, long, somewhat fleshy, narrowing grad- 

 ually to tip which is ])ointed. 



Coi.oit. Adult. jVboTe, dark-brown, spotted and banded with reddish. Wings, dark-brown, with base of primaries 

 and secondaries, and tips of greater wing covert-, white. Smaller wing coverts, ashy. Upper tail coverts and base of tail,, 

 white, remainder of latter very dark-brown, tipjjed with reddish-ash. Beneatli, yell.jwish-red, banded on breast, sides, 

 anil under tail coverts, with dark-brown. Axillaries and under wing coverts, black. 



Youn/j. Yidlovrish-ash above, streaked and spotted wit 1 1 dark-brown. Beneatli, asliy-wdiite, darkest across breast; 

 otherwise similar to the adult. Bill, brown, yellow at base, iris and legs, brown, in all stages. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Winter birds are sometimes mottled beneath with red. Readily known by the white upper tail coverts, very dark tail^ 

 long, upturned bill, and black iixillarit-w and under wing coverts. Distributed, in summer, throughout Arctic jVmerica. 

 Not uncommon on the coast of the Noriliern States la autumn Winters south of the United States. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of specimens from Ea.sti^rn North America. Length, 14"82; stretch, 26'40; wing, 8-25; tail, 

 2 75; hill,2'25; taj-sus, 2 02. Longest specimen, I5'25; greatest extent of wing, 27"80; longest wing, 8 50; tail,3(!(', hill, 

 2 30; tirsus, 3 05. Shortest specimen, It'iiO. smallest extent of wing, 2(i-0(t; shortest wing, 8 GO; tail, 2 50, bill, 2 20: tar- 

 sus, 2-HO. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 

 iyr/s, placed on the ground in aslight depression of the soil, on a little gra.ss, etc., three or four in number, pyriform 

 in shape, very daik green ish-brown in color, somewhat obscurely spotted and blotched with dark-brown. Dimensions 

 from 1-H5x2-15 to I-40x2-2O. 



HABITS. 



The nud.soiiiaii Godwits are not of uiicunimon occurrence along our New England coast 

 in autumn, generally arriving late in September and often remaining until November. 

 They frequent sandy shonis, resting on sand spits, from which they rise wJicn approached,, 

 with a louil cry, characteristic of both members of the genus, and fly swiftly away, when, 

 the white upper tail coverts appear quite prominently, gaining for them the name of Spot 

 Rumps itmong sportsmen. Birds found with us, are either plain ashy white below or mot- 

 tled with red, but when iu their full spring dress, in which they never visit us, however,, 

 as they pass to their far northern breeding grounds, through the West, they are very liand- 

 some birds. I have never met with Iludsoniau Godwits in Florida, and if they occur there 

 at all, it is as rare nugrants. 



LIMOSA TEDOA. 

 Marbled Godwit. 



Limosa fedua Oku, I'd. \\ ils., VII; 1825. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sr. Cu. Form, robust. Size, large. Toes, well margined. Tongue, very long, thin, ami slender, gradually taper- 

 ing toward tip which is pointed. 



