SCOI.OPACID.E. 



609 



THE BLACK-TAILED GODWrr. 



LiM(5sA BELGiCA (J. F. Gmclin). 



At the present day this species is chiefly a visitor to our islands 

 on the spring and autumn migrations, a few individuals being some- 

 times observed in winter ; but down to the year 1S29 it used to breed 

 in the fens of Lincolnshire and the Lsle of E^ly, while eggs were 

 taken in Norfolk as recently as 1847. The passage southward com- 

 mences in August, and that in spring takes place from April to 

 May ; but at no season is this bird so numerous as the Bar-tailed 

 Godwit, and north of the Humber its occurrence is very irregular. 

 On the west it visits the coast of Lancashire in small parties every 

 autumn, but even the marshes of the Sohvay seldom attract it, while 

 further north it is almost unknown, and on the east side of Scotland 

 its appearance is unfrequent. In Ireland it is seldom met with in 

 the fall, and only exceptionally in spring. 



3 B 



