324 GREAT MARBLED GODWIT. 



and whole breast, very pale brown ; upper part of the body pale drab, 

 centered and barred with dark brown, and edged with spots of white on 

 the exterior vanes ; three first primaries black, with white shafts ; 

 rump and tail-coverts barred with dark brown ; belly white ; vent the 

 same, marked with zigzag lines of brown ; whole lining of the wing 

 beautifully barred with brown on a dark cream ground ; legs and naked 

 thighs a pale lead color. 



The figure of this bird, and of all the rest in the same plate, are re- 

 duced to exactly one-half the size of life. 



' Note. — Mr. Ord, in his reprint of the 8th vol., expresses his doubts 

 of this species being the Esquimaux Curlew (iV. borealts) of Dr. Latham ; 

 as this ornithologist states his bird to be only thirteen inches in length, 

 and in breadth twenty-one ; and the bill two inches in length. 



Prince Musignano, in his observations on the nomenclature of Wil- 

 son's Ornithology, states that he has ascertained the N. borealis, Lath., 

 to be a distinct species, and promises to figure it in his American Orni- 

 thology. He considers Wilson's bird {JV. borealis) to be the JV. Hud- 

 sonicus of Latham. 



GENUS LXXII. SCOLOPAX. SNIPE. 

 Species I. SCOLOPAX FEDOA* 



GREAT MARBLED GODWIT. 



[Plate LVI. Fig. 4, Female.] 

 Arct. Zool. p. 456, No. 371. — La Barge roiisse de Baie de Hudson, Buff, til, 507.t 



This is another transient visitant of our seacoasts in spring and 

 autumn, to and from its breeding place in the north. Our gunners call 

 it the Straight-billed Ourlew, and sometimes the Red Curlew-X It is a 

 shy, cautious, and watchful bird ; yet so strongly are they attached to 

 each other, that on wounding one in a flock, the rest are immediately 

 arrested in their flight, making so many circuits over the spot where it 

 lies fluttering and screaming, that the sportsman often makes great 

 destruction among them. Like the Curlew, they may also be enticed 

 within shot, by imitating their call or whistle ; but can seldom be ap- 



* This bird belongs to the genus Limosa of Brisson. 



t Scolopax Fedoa, Linn. Syst. ed. 10, p. 146, No. 8. S. hcemasiica? Id. p. 147, 

 No. 14. — Edw.^rds, pi. 137, 138. — Limosa rufa, Briss. v., p. 281, pi. 2.5, fig. 1. 

 X It is better known under the name of Merline. 



