THE GREAT MARBLED GODWIT 173 



jet black. The breast and along the sides are 

 marked to a greater or less extent with dusky 

 lines across the feathers. The linings of the 

 wings are marked with the same red color of the 

 upper parts, usually brighter here and on the 

 breast. Wing quills dark brown, growing 

 dusky at the tips. No white anywhere on the 

 bird except on the shafts of the primaries. Bill 

 flesh-colored, growing dusky toward the tip. 

 Legs blackish, the toes stout and flattened un- 

 derneath, margined about by a considerable 

 membrane. Sexes marked alike. 



Nests like the ''upland," anywhere in open 

 fields, or in the marshes in the more usual 

 shorebird manner. Eggs three to four, grayish 

 green, faintly splashed with brownish spots. 



It is a great pity that we do not see more of 

 the Godwits in our territory for as a game bird 

 and a delicacy for the table they rank well. 

 Their flesh is equal to that of any of the smaller 

 shorebirds and superior to that of most of them. 



