298 SHORE BIRDS 



the cinnamon markings on the back and the large 

 black patch on the belly suggesting the names. It is 

 well to know that in the winter the upper parts are 

 mottled gray and the under parts white. The birds 

 are no longer '' red-backs," or '' black-bellies." The 

 European bird is a slightly smaller bird ; otherwise the 

 same. 



IV. — THE MARBLED GODWIT 



The godwits somewhat resemble the curlews and 

 are found often associating with them. They are 

 easily distinguished ; the bills of the godwits are nearly 

 straight, or slightly curved upward. The bills of all 

 curlews have a decided downward curve. There are 

 in all four godwits found in North America, but the 

 marbled god wit and Hudsonian only are important. 

 The Pacific godwit is an Asiatic bird, found also in 

 Alaska, and as an occasional visitor to California. The 

 black-tailed godwit is very similar to the Hudsonian, 

 and represents the latter in the old world ; an oc- 

 casional specimen has been seen in Greenland. 



The marbled godwit is found throughout North 

 America. With the other waders it comes to the 

 Atlantic coast in April or early in May, and returns 

 again in the late summer. The centre of its abun- 

 dance in summer, and its main breeding-ground, is ap- 

 parently, says Coues, the Northern Mississippi and 

 Eastern Missouri regions and thence to the Saskatche- 

 wan ; for, unlike its relative (L. Hudsonica), it does not 

 proceed very far north to nest. It breeds in Iowa 

 and in Minnesota and Eastern Dakota, where I ob- 

 served it in June, and where the eggs have been pro- 



