116 BIRDS OF THE HUMBER DISTRICT. 



long legs quite extended, and made a shrill noise 

 (twit), twice repeated, during the whole time. 



Colonel Montagu, at the beginning of the present 

 century, speaks of them as still breeding in our fens. 

 It is too probable, however, that its extinction as a 

 Lincolnshire bird took place very shortly after this 

 date. It now occurs only as a very rare wanderer to 

 oar shores. One, mentioned in Mr. Alington's list 

 of the birds of Croxby Pond, was shot in that locality 

 by the late Mr. Harneis, of Thorganby Hall. In 

 April 1867 a bird, which I have every reason for 

 thinking belonged to this species, frequented the 

 mud-flats in this parish for about a fortnight. It 

 was very wild, and succeeded in escaping unscathed 

 the attentions of our local gunners. 



I have no notice of its occurrence in East York- 

 shire. 



175. LIMOSA MELANURA, Leislcr. Black-tailed 



Godwit. 



Provincial. Large black-and-white tailed Curlew-whelp. 



Formerly a resident, breeding annually in our fens*. 



Like other of our rarest shore birds once indigenous 



in the county, are now only known as occasional 



spring and autumn visitors to the coast and the 



* I am told still occasionally visits the South Lincolnshire 

 marshes in pairs during the spring j but T have no notice of their 

 having remained to nest. 



