56 BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



GENUS LIMOSA BRISSON. 



Limosa BEISSON, Orn. v, 1760, 261. Type, Scolopax limosa LINN. 



CHAB. Bill lengthened, exceeding the tarsus, slender, and curving gently upwards, 

 grooved to near the tip, the latter not attenuated. Tarsus with transverse scutellae before 

 and behind, reticulated laterally. A short basal membrane between the middle and outer 

 toes. Bill much longer than head, nearly equaling tarsi and toes together, curving gently 

 upwards from the base, where it is elevated and compressed, depressed, however, at the 

 end. The grooves on sides of bill and beneath extend nearly to the tip ; the tip of the upper 

 mandible is thickened, and extends a little below the lower. The gape is slight, not exceed- 

 ing beyond the base of culmen; the feathers on the side of the bill reach forward to about 

 the same point, those on the chin a little farther. Tarsus more than one and one half times 

 the toes, twice the bare part of tibiae; hind toe lengthened; outer toe webbed as far as end 

 of first joint, inner toe with only a short basal web. Tail short, even, two fifths the wings. 



In some respects the bill of this genus resembles that of Macro- 

 rhamphus, the chief apparent difference being the upward curve 

 of the one and its straightness in the other. 



But two species are known to occur in Illinois. Two others 

 are included in the North American fauna, one, Z. limosa 

 (Linn.) the Black-tailed God wit by reason of its accidental 

 occurrence in Greenland, the other, L. lapponica baueri (Naum.) 

 the Pacific Godwit occurring abundantly on the coasts and 

 islands of Alaska. Since the occurrence of either of these species 

 in Illinois is very unh'kely, it is not thought worth while to in- 

 clude them in the following synopsis: 



1. L. fedoa. Tail narrowly barred; axillars and lining of wing ochraceous. Prevailing color 

 ochraceous, the head and neck streaked, the remaining upper parts barred with brown- 

 ish dusky ; axillars and lining of the wing deep cinnamon-ochre. Wing, 8^0-9.00; culmen, 

 3.50-5.00; tarsus, 2.75-3.00; middle-toe. 1.40. 



2. L. hsemastica. Tail black, with white base and tip; axillars uniform smoky blackish. 

 Upper tail-coverts crossed by a wide band of pure white; longer upper tail-coverts, en- 

 tire rump, and axillars, uniform dusky ; lining of wing dusky, spotted with white out- 

 wardly. Summer plumage: Beneath, chestnut barred with dusky ; above, mottled black- 

 ish. Winter plumage: Beneath, whitish, without markings, the breast and jugulum gray- 

 ish; above, uniform brownish gray, except rump, upper tail-coverts, and tail. Young: 

 Beneath, light grayish clay-color, darker on breast; above, brownish gray, feathers 

 bordered with ochraceous, and somewhat spotted with dusky. Wing. 8.10-8.60; culmen, 

 2.85-8.45; tarsus, 2.25-2.50; middle-toe, 1.15-1.30. 



