272 THE BAR-TAILED GODWIT 
through pools of shallow water, and, if so minded, hesitates neither 
to swim nor to dive. 
Its visits to England are paid most commonly in spring and 
autumn, while it is on its way to and from the northern climates 4 
in which it breeds. ‘In Scotland it is seen’, says Macgillivray, 
‘in small flocks here and there along the seashore, by the margins 
of rivers, and in marshy places breeding there in the north, but it 
is nowhere common, and in most districts of very rare occurrence. By 
the beginning of summer it has disappeared from its winter haunts, 
and advanced northwards; individuals or pairs remaining here 
and there in the more northern parts of Scotland, while the rest 
extend their migration.’ The same author describes a nest, which 
he found in the island of Harris, as very like those of the Golden 
and Lapwing Plovers, with four eggs, intermediate in size between 
the eggs of these two birds. Another nest was also found by Selby, 
in Sutherlandshire. There can be therefore no doubt that the 
north of Scotland is within the extreme southern limit of its 
breeding-ground. During the winter it is to be seen in the west of 
Ireland only. 
THE BAR-TAILED GODWIT 
LIMOSA LAPPONICA 
Beak slightly curved upwards ; middle clawshort, without serratures. Winter 
—upper plumage variously mottled with grey, dusky, and reddish ash ; 
lower part of the back white, with dusky spots; tail barred with reddish 
white and dusky; lower parts white. Summer—all the plumage deeply 
tinged with red. Young birds have the throat and breast brownish 
white, streaked with dusky, and a few dusky lines on the flanks. Length 
sixteen inches. Eggs unknown. 
On the coast of Norfolk, where I made my first acquaintance with 
this bird in the fresh state, it is called a Half-Curlew. In like 
manner, a Wigeon is called a Half-Duck. In either case the reason 
for giving the name is, that the smaller bird possesses half the market 
value of the larger. It resembles the Curlew in its flight and the 
colour of its plumage; but differs in having its long beak slightly 
curved upwards, while that of the Curlew is strongly arched down- 
wards ; and it is far less wary, allowing itself to be approached so 
closely that it falls an easy prey to the fowler. It appears to be 
most frequently met with in spring and autumn, when it visits 
many parts of the coast insmall flocks. In Norfolk it is met with 
from May, the twelfth of that month being called ‘Godwit day,’ by 
the gunners, although it is almost unknown up north at that season. 
The specimens which were brought to me were shot in the very 
severe weather which ushered in the year 186z. These birds have 
nowhere been observed in England later than the beginning of 
