BAR-TAILED GODWIT 355 
Flight.—The Bar-tailed Godwit rises from the slob with 
a comparatively slow and measured flight, which contrasts 
with that of many other Limicoline birds, but when well 
on the wing it travels with remarkable speed. I have seen 
a flock perform magnificent aérial gyrations, and the 
velocity with which the birds can shoot almost vertically 
downwards from an immense height to their feeding- 
erounds is astonishing. 
Vowce.—Mr. Harting compares the note to the syllables 
lou-ey, lou-ey. But the curious barking sound heard from 
flocks when on the wing in autumn and winter, seems to 
resemble the syllables @k-ak, Gk-ak. 
Food.— Small crabs, shrimps, sand-hoppers, marine 
insects, and shell-fish, constitute the staple diet. The flesh 
of the immature bird is considered edible, but, like that of 
many other shore-birds, it has a tendency towards a fishy 
flavour. 
Nest.—This species breeds in marshy situations, scrap- 
ing a hollow in the ground for a nest. The eggs, four in 
number, are pale olive-green, blotched and streaked with 
brown. 
Geographical distribution.—The breeding-range appears 
to extend across Arctic Europe and Asia, from Lapland 
eastward to the River Yenesei. On migration, in autumn 
aud winter, the bird occurs in great numbers over the 
sea-board of the Kuropean Continent, and as far south as 
the coast-lands of Equatorial Africa. Eastward it migrates 
over the Asiatic Continent, as far south as Northern India. 
Numbers of birds, apparently immature, remain through- 
out the summer months in many districts of the British 
Isles, but there is no evidence that this species has nested 
with us. 
DESCRIPTIVE CHARACTERS. 
PLUMAGE. Adult male nuptial.—Head, back of neck, 
and sides of breast, reddish-brown, streaked with black ; 
back, scapulars, and wings, marked irregularly with brown 
and black; some of the wing-coverts are margined with 
white ; primaries, brownish-black ; rump and upper tail- 
coverts, white, streaked with brown; tail, broadly barred 
with light buff and dark brown ; chin, throat, front of neck, 
breast, abdomen, and under tail-coverts, rich chestnut-red. 
Adult female nuptial.— Resembles the male nuptial 
plumage, but the chestnut colour is less pronounced. 
