162 BRITISH BIRDS. 



TOTANUS MELANURUS. 

 BLACK-TAILED GODWIT. 



(Plate 29.) 



Liinosa limosa, Briss. Orn. v. p. 262 (17G0). 



Scolopax limosa, Linn. Sijst. Kid. i. p. 245 (1766). 



Scolopax belgica, Ginel. Stjst. Nat. i. p. 663 (1788). 



Totanus limosa (Briss.), Bechst. Orn. Taschenb. ii. p. 287 (1803). 



Actitis limo.-^a {Briss.), Eliger, Prodr. p. 262 (1811). 



Limosa melanura, LeisJer, Nachtr. Bechst. Naturg. ii. p. 153 (1813) ; et auctorum 



plurimorviin — Nanmann, Meijer, Nilsson, Temminck, Sdby, GigJioli, SIwllci/, 



Severtzow, Bogdanow, Lichtenstein, Lord Lilford, Sioinlioe, Ehces Sf Buckley, 



Ooehel, Selby, Jenyns, Gould, Yarrell, &c. 

 Limicula melanura {Leisl), Vieill. N. Diet. cTHist. Nat. iii. p. 250 (1816). 

 Fedoa melanm-a (Leisl.) , Steph. Skald's Gen. Zool. xii. pt. i. p. 73 (1824). 

 Limosa fegocepliala (Linn.), apud Fleming, Bcgland 8,- Gerhe, Gray, Blyth, Bona- 



parte, Middcndorff, Shelley, Sharpe ^- Dresser, Hume, Heuglin, Blanford, Mac- 



gillivray, Harting, Saunders, Irhy, &c.* 



The Black-tailed Godwit is much rarer in the British Islands than the 

 Bar-tailed Godwit. It formerly bred in small numbers in the fens and 

 marshes of the low-lying eastern counties, but is now never known to do 

 so. It occasionally visits the shores of England on spring and autumn 

 mio^ration, being most common on the cast coast, where a few arrive on 

 their way to or from Denmark via HeUgoland. In Scotland it is much 

 rarer, only accidentally straying to the west coast, and irregularly appear- 

 ing on the east, where it has been observed as far north as the Shetlands. 

 Thev only stay a short time on their passage to and from their conti- 

 nental breeding-grounds, but sometimes a straggler is observed in winter. 

 In Ireland it is of rare occurrence, and chiefly makes its appearance in 

 autumn, whilst in the Channel Islands it is apparently unknown. It is 

 usually found on the coast, but examples have been known to stray inland 

 to the neighbourhood of large sheets of water. 



* Many modern ornithologists identify the Scolqmx agocephala of Linnaeus with the 

 Black -tailed Godwit. It is difficult to see what possible argument can he brought forward 

 in favour of such an opinion. LinuKus was acquainted with both the European Godwits, 

 namin"- the Black-tailed Godwit Scolopax limosa, and the Bar-tailed Godwit Scolopax 

 lapr>onica. His Scolopax cegocephala is unquestionably the Bar-tailed Godwit; the 

 description is based upon Willughby's Barge or ^gocephalus, and he quotes as synonyms 

 the Godwit of Albin and of Pennant, and the Limosa rufa major of Brisson, all which 

 writers unquestionably describe the Bar-tailed Godwit ; and as if to make certainty more 

 certain, the tail-feathers are described by Linnajus as " nigricantes albo-striatae." Li the 

 face of such overwhelming evidence to the contrary, it is impossible to imderstand upon 

 what principles the name was transferred to the Black-tailed Godwit. 



