BAY-BIRDS. 169 
large birds, approaching the decoys with great con- 
fidence and returning again and again, till frequently 
the entire flock is killed. In color it is a reddish- 
brown, lighter on the abdomen, and its flight is 
steady and rather slow. Although better eating 
than the willet, and very rich and juicy, its flesh 
cannot be called delicate. The ring-tailed marlin 
or Hudsonian Godwit, ZLimosa Hudsonica, Lath. 
is a finer but much scarcer bird, and resembles some- 
what in color the willet, but has the marlin bill, 
which is longer than that of the last-named spe- 
cles. 
Specific Character.—Bill at base yellow, towards 
the end blackish-brown; upper parts spotted and 
barred with yellowish-grey and _ brownish-black ; 
lower parts pale reddish-brown ; tail darker, barred 
with black. Adult male with the bill at the base 
yellowish-brown, towards the end black; head and 
neck greyish-brown, tinged with pale reddish, streak- 
ed with dusky—darker on the upper part of the 
head and hind neck; throat whitish, lower parts 
pale reddish-brown ; under tail-coverts barred with 
brown; tail reddish-brown, barred with dusky ; up- 
per tail-coverts the same; upper parts barred with 
brownish-black and pale reddish-brown, spotted with 
dusky ; inner primaries tipped with yellowish-white ; 
scapulars and wing-coverts barred with pale reddish- 
brown and greyish-white; shaft of the first primary 
white, dusky at the tip; inner shafts at the base 
white, rest part light brown, excepting the tips, 
which are dusky. Length, sixteen inches; wing, 
8 
