156 BRITISH BIRDS. 



TOTANUS RUFUS. 

 BAR-TAILED GODWIT. 



(Plate 29.) 



Limosa grisea major, Briss. Orn. v. p. 272 (1760, winter plumage). 



Limosa rufa, Briss. Orn. v. p. 281 (17G0, summer plumage) ; Leach, Syst. Cat. Mamm. 

 Sj-c. Brit. Mus. p. 32 (1810); et auctorum plurimorum — Namnann, Temminck, 

 Selbij, Yarrell, Bonaparte, Lichtenstein, Fkminy, Jmyns, Meyer, Nilsson, Deyland 

 8)' Gerhe, Middendorff, Sioinhoe, WoUey, Bhthiston, Wriyht, Hume, Russoio, Alston 

 Sf Ilarine-Broxvn, Brandt, Schalow, Reichenow, Cahanis, Ilomeijer, kc. 



Limosa rufa major, Briss. Orn. v. p. 284 (1760, winter plumage, ex Linn, et Wil- 

 lughbij). 



Scolopax lapponica, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 246 (1766, summer plumage). 



Scolopax aegocepliala, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 246 (1766, winter plumage, ex WiUuyhby). 



Scolopax leucophjBa, Lath. Ind, Orn. ii. p. 719 (1790). 



Totauusaegocephalus (i/;m),) ^^^^^^^_ ^^.^^_ y^^^^^^^^^_ .._ ^SQ (1803). 



lotanus leucophaeus (Zflm.), 1 



Totanus ferrugiueus, Meyer, Taschenb. ii. p. 374 (1810). 



Limosa meyeri, Leisler, Nachtr. Bechst. Naturg. ii. p. 172 (1813). 



Limicula meyeri {Leisl), I ^^ .^;_ ^_ j^.^^^ ^,^ .^^_ ^^^_ .._ g^g gSO (1816). 



Limicula lapponica {Lmn.), 1 



Limosa jadreca, i 



Limosa noveboracensis, > Leach, Syst, Cat. Mamtn. ^-c. Brit. Mus. p. 32 (1816). 



Limosa fegocepbala (Linn.), ) 



Fedoa meyeri (Leisl.), \ 



Fedoa rufa (Briss.), I Stejjh. Shatv's Gen. Zool. xii. pt. i. pp. 75, 77, 79 (1824). 



Fedoa pectoralis, ) 



Limosa ferruginea (Meyer), Pall. Zoogr, Rosso-Asiat. ii. p. 180 (1826). 



The Bar-tailed Godwit has never been known to breed in any part of the 

 British Islands, although it has been suspected to do so on some of the 

 wild and lonely Hebrides. It is principally known as a visitor on migration, 

 appearing in spring and autumn, most numerous at the former season on 

 the low-lying coasts south of Spurn Point. It visits in more or less 

 abundance all the coasts of the British Islands, being most frequent on 

 those that are low and sandy, and commoner in the east than in the west 

 of Great Britain. It visits the Orkneys and Shetlands on migration, as 

 well as the Channel Islands. A few stragglers occasionally remain during 

 winter ; and it sometimes wanders out of its usual course when on migra- 

 tion, and visits the inland counties. In the same manner a few often 

 remain on our coasts all summer, probably non-breeding birds. In Ireland 

 it is said to l^e more abundant than in Scotland. 



The Bar-tailed Godwit is entirely confined, during the breeding-season, 

 to the Siberian tundras above the limit of forest- growth from Lapland in 

 the west across Behring's Straits into Alaska in the east. It has not been 



