THE BLACK-TAILED GODWIT. l6 9 



closely resemble those of the next species, but are slightly smaller, measuring 2\ 

 by barely i inches. 



Bar-tailed Godwits frequent muddy and sandy sea-shores; they are very 

 sociable birds, mixing freely on the feeding grounds with any other species of 

 Wader. When they first arrive, about the end of August, they are very tame 

 and unsuspicious, and are easily got at. They certainly winter with us, but are 

 very local and casual in their distribution at this season ; in many parts of our 

 coasts they are never seen then at all, or only a few immature birds. About the 

 beginning of April, their northward migration commences, and adults in full 

 summer dress are met with on the Norfolk coast (but seldom north of it) about 

 mid- May. 



Their food consists of small shell-fish and Crustacea, worms of all kinds, and 

 insects (when up country). They are a fairly easy bird to recognize, owing to 

 their long legs and upturned bill, and to the fact that there are few birds of their 

 size. They are also a silent bird ; I have heard them conversing together in 

 under-tones, but seldom uttering any definite call; they have, however, a loud 

 double whistle, and no doubt, at the breeding grounds, a spring note also. But 

 I regret to say that I have never been there. 



Family SCOL OP A CID^E. 



BLACK-TAILED GODWIT. 



Limosa belgica, GMEL. 



ONCE a breeding bird with us, nesting up to sixty years ago in East Anglia 

 and Lincolnshire, the Black-tailed Godwit is now only a spring and autumn 

 migrant in small numbers, most common still on the coasts of East Anglia and 

 decidedly rare north of Lincolnshire, and unfrequent elsewhere in Britain. 

 Formerly the Black-tailed Godwit was netted in the fens by those who made 



VOL. V. 2 A 



