BAR-TAILED GODWIT. 121 



Plumage. Head and neck greyish white streaked with 

 blackish brown ; mantle and secondaries almost black, the 

 feathers being edged with grey. Rump and tail-feathers white, 

 the latter barred and mottled with brown ; under parts white, 

 streaked and spotted with ash-brown. Bill blackish and slightly 

 curved upwards. Legs and feet olive-green. Length 14 in. 

 Female, similar. In winter, greyer above and pure white below. 

 Young : tinged with rusty above ; chest and flanks clouded with 

 blackish grey ; legs greenish grey. Nestling : light grey above, 

 mottled with black ; black stripe from bill to eye, and black 

 marking on crown of head ; dingy white below. 



Language. Rather like the Redshank's note, being a loud 

 clear " chee-weet," three or four times repeated. 



Habits. Generally much like the Redshank. 



Food. Worms, beetles, Crustacea, and mollusca ; also fish- 

 fry, tadpoles, and small frogs. 



Nest. May. One brood. 



Site. In a slight depression in the ground, more or less con- 

 cealed by growing herbage, and generally near water. 



Materials. A few grasses or leaves. 



Eggs. Four. Stone-colour, spotted with brown, and blotched 

 with purplish grey ; very pyriform shape. 



BAR-TAILED GODWIT (Limosa lapponica). 



An annual but uncommon visitor on spring and autumn 

 migrations, especially to the east coast. 



Haunts. Sandy and muddy sea-shores. 



Plumage. Head, neck, and under parts chestnut-red, with 

 some dark streaks ; upper parts mottled with brown and black. 

 Rump w r hite, streaked with brown. Tail buffish white, barred 

 with dark brown. Bill long, slightly upcurved and dark brown. 

 Legs and feet blackish. Length \5\ in. Female, rather larger 

 and less ruddy. In winter, chestnut colouring absent ; upper 

 parts ash-grey, striped and barred with brownish grey ; under 

 parts white with some dark streaks on neck and breast ; rump 

 white ; tail-feathers ash-brown, with dark shaft-streaks ; long 

 tail-coverts barred. Young : much like adults in winter, but 

 tinned with buff above ; dull buff with dusky streaks below. 



Language. A loud double whistle-like " eou-ey." 



Habits. Sociable, often consorting on their feeding-grounds 

 with other species. No doubt when breeding it is very wary, 

 but with us, at least when it first arrives, it is very tame and 

 confiding. In other respects it much resembles the Sand- 

 pipers. 



Food. Aquatic insects, worms, Crustacea, &c. 



Nidification. Breeds in northern Europe. 



