362 



Birds. 



The female lays four whitish eggs, with olive-coloured 

 dashes, and marked with irregular spots of black. Pen- 

 nant and Latham say, that it flies round its nest when 

 disturbed, making a noise like a lapwing. It is not so 

 common on the sea-shore as several others of its kindred. 

 We must here observe, that this bird has often been 

 mistaken for others. The fact is, that several birds 

 changing their plumage, and increasing or diminishing 

 their size according to their age, the season of the year, 

 and the climate they live in, set all nomenclators at 

 defiance, and confound all classifications. 



THE GODWIT, (Limosa cegocephalaj 



Is met with in various parts of Great Britain, and is 

 rather larger than the woodcock, which it much re- 

 sembles in appearance. In spring and summer it resides 

 in the fens and marshes, where it rears its young, and 

 feeds on small worms and insects ; but in winter it seeks 

 the salt marshes and the sea-shore, where it feeds upon 

 the shell- fish and marine animals left by the retiring 

 tide. A peculiarity belonging to this bird is the shape 

 of its bill, which is a little turned upwards. The head, 

 neck, and back are of a reddish brown ; the under part 

 of the body white; the legs dusky, and sometimes black. 

 The Godwit is much esteemed by epicures as a great 

 delicacy, and sells very high. It is caught in nets, to 

 which it is allured by a stale or stuffed bird, in the same 

 manner and in the same season as the ruffs and reeves. 



