GllALLATORKS. 253 



habits, manners and economy of the two birds are so precisely 

 similar that I was unable to detect any difference ; various 

 kinds of marine insects and small-shelled moUusks are its 

 principal food. 



Mr. Macgillivray, however, informs me that one of the 

 specimens sent home by him from Australia was clothed in 

 a rufous dress very similar to the summer plumage of the 

 European species. 



All the upper surface brownish grey, becoming dark brown 

 on the centre and nearly white on the edges of the feathers ; pri- 

 maries brown with white shafts ; rump and upper tail- coverts 

 conspicuously barred with brown and white ; tail alternately 

 barred with brown and white ; throat and abdomen white ; 

 neck and breast brownish grey ; under wing-coverts and 

 flanks barred with brown and white ; bill white at the base, 

 becoming brown at the tip ; irides dark brown ; legs brownish 

 black. 



Total length 15 inches ; bill 3J ; wing 8f ; tail 3:^ ; tarsi 2|-. 



In the youthful state the feathers of the back are of a much 

 darker hue, and the tertiaries are conspicuously toothed with 

 white on their margins. 



Every ornithologist is aware how difficult it is to trace our 

 own Bar-tailed Godwit to its breeding-place ; so great indeed is 

 it that its eggs are desiderata in nearly every European cabinet ; 

 and this want of knowledge is equally felt with regard to the 

 Australian species, for we have not the most remote idea 

 what country it resorts to during the breeding-season, and no 

 Australian egg has yet been collected which can with certainty 

 be referred to this bird ; any information, therefore, on this 

 point will be received by me, and I am sure by every other 

 ornithologist, with pleasure. 



