528 



SANDPIPERS AND RELATED SPECIES 



The usual call of the bartailed-godwit is a double note, which is 

 rendered " kewit " by the Rev. H. A. Macpherson. 1 Written as one 

 word it may easily mislead one who has not heard the note, but 

 divided " kew-it," it serves to recall the sound. This is very different 

 from Harting's " low-ey low-ey" 2 but the latter is, I think, intended for 

 the same note, and may be connected with it through Patterson's 

 " low-eet low-eet " 3 and Naumann's " kjdu keu keu keu " and " keik keik 

 keik" 4 Various modifications occur expressing alarm, etc. There is 

 a less musical note heard mostlv in late autumn and winter. It has 







less of a whistling sound than the generality of Wader cries, and 

 although it is not particularly like it, may be classed with the hoarse 

 cry of the knot. Professor Patten syllables it "(ik-cik ak-dk," 5 and it 

 presumably corresponds with Naumann's "jack jack jack." The 

 courting or spring note is described in Naumann as of three syllables, 

 and is written " tabie tabie" 6 pronounced, I presume, "ta-bee-ay" 

 which repeated quickly becomes a " jodel." 



The call of the blacktailed-godwit is said to resemble that of the 

 redshank, but is deeper and more penetrating ; it is syllabled " djo, 

 djo, djo" 7 With a certain amount of imagination this might corre- 

 spond with Mr. A. C. Chapman's really good rendering " tti-ee-tooo" 8 or 

 Professor Patten's " chn-tee-chuo chtl-tee-chuo." 9 In Holland the species 

 is called "grtitto" pronounced "gr-wee-tod" after its cry. Stevenson 

 tells us that when the blacktailed-godwit bred in the fens, it was 

 called the "shrieker" and "yelper," or " yerwhelp." 10 



1 Fauna of Lakeland, p. 404. 



3 Nature in East Norfolk, p. 238. 



6 Aquatic Birds, p. 355. 



r Ibid., ix. p. 116. 



9 Aquatic Birds, p. 357. 



2 Howard Saunders, Manual, p. 624. 

 4 Vogel Mitteleuropas, ix. p. 126. 

 6 Vogel Mitteleuropas, ix. p. 126. 

 8 Ibis, 1894, p. 340. 

 10 Birds of Norfolk, ii. p. 250 et seq. 



