338 BIRDS OF TUNISIA 



Iris brown ; bill orange-yellow at the base, blackisli at the tip ; feet 

 black. 



Total length 16 inches, wing 8-40, culmen 3, tarsus 2. 



Adult female less rufous, and larger than the male. 



In winter the upper plumage is brownish-grey, and the lower parts are 

 whitish, washed with brown on the neck and breast. 



According to Blanc the Bar-tailed Godwit is to be found in 

 Tunisia occasionally, specimens having been obtained by him in the 

 autumn of 1901. The species is, however, probably somewhat rare 

 in the Regency, as it is in Malta, Sicily and Southern Italy. Loche 

 states that it is fairly common in Algeria in winter, and examples 

 obtained by him from that country are preserved in the Milan 

 Museum. According to Favier {fide Colonel Irby), the Bar-tailed 

 Godwit is abundant on passage near Tangier, migrating northwards 

 during the months of February and March, and returning in August 

 and September. Favier further asserts that the species occasionally 

 remains to breed in Marocco, but there seems to be no positive proof 

 of this being the case. In Spain this Godwit lingers till a late date, 

 and the specimen above described, which is in full breeding-plumage, 

 was obtained by Lord Lilford in Santander harbour on May '20th, 1876. 

 Writing about this species (Birds of Northamptonshire, p. 100), Lord 

 Lilford states that "it was not abundant on the great plains of the 

 Guadalquivir at the same season of 1872, where summer-plumaged 

 Knots were in countless thousands, and other northern breeders also 

 in very great numbers." 



The Bar-tailed Godwit is found throughout Europe generally, 

 breeding chiefly in the extreme north-eastern parts, and wintering 

 in the south of our Continent and in Africa. In Asia it occurs as 

 far north as Kamtchatka, and ranges eastwards to India, or even 

 further. 



In its habits the present species does not differ greatly from the 

 Black-tailed Godwit. It frequents inland marshy localities, but also 

 the sea-coast in winter and when on passage, and may often be found 

 associating with other Waders. Its notes and food also are not very 

 different from those of its congener. 



