572 SCOLOPACID.E. 



A female, which in this species as well as in the BLack- 

 tailed Godwit, is larger than the male, measured sixteen 

 inches ; the length of the beak, three inches and three quar- 

 ters ; from the carpal joint to the end of the first quill-fea- 

 ther, which is the longest, eight inches and a lialf. The legs 

 of this species are much shorter in proportion to the size of 

 the bird than those of the Black -tailed Godwit, and become 

 another mark of distinction. In the female described, the 

 tarsus measured but two inches in length, and tlie naked part 

 of the tibia above it only one inch. 



A male, apparently in the perfect plumage of summer, 

 killed during the second week of May 1821, has tlie beak 

 nearly black, reddish brown at the base; irides dusky brown ; 

 head and neck rich bay, or chestnut red, the feathers on the 

 forehead, top of the head, and down the back of the neck, 

 streaked longitudinally with black ; the space between the 

 base of the beak and the eye, and the feathers forming the 

 ear-coverts, spotted with black ; the upper part of the back, 

 the shoulders, lesser wing-coverts and tertials, black, the edges 

 of the feathers of a pale reddish wood brown ; greater wing- 

 coverts, as in winter, dark brown edged with greyish white ; 

 primary quill-feathers almost black, those nearest the secon- 

 daries tinged with dusky brown on the inner webs, and edged 

 with white ; lower part of the back white, with a few small 

 feathers of a dark colour intermixed ; upper tail-coverts barred 

 with black, on a ground colour of pale reddish brown ; tail- 

 feathers nearly as in winter, but the white is tinged with bay ; 

 neck in front, breast, belly, vent, and tail-coverts, nearly uni- 

 form rich bay, with a few dark streaks before the carpal joint 

 of the wing ; legs, toes, and claws, nearly black. 



Young birds of the year have the plumage of the upper 

 surface of the body somewhat like that of old birds in winter ; 

 the neck and breast reddish ash colour ; the belly white. 



