224 THE GODWIT 



the winter, it is known in Africa, in the Japan 

 Islands, and many other parts. In exterior form it 

 resembles the heron and several of the crane kind, 

 from the length of its bill, neck, and legs, and its un- 

 feathered joints, which, Jardine remarks, "remove it 

 from the more squat or lowly figure of the plovers and 

 true Tringte." It was formerly held in high esti- 

 mation as a table delicacy; and, well fattened, is 

 not now altogether despised. The godwit seldom 

 skulks in sheltered places, its whole structure appear- 

 ing adapted to an aquatic life in the open marshes 

 and coasts ; being, like most of the crane kind, very 

 clamorous and noisy ; and in this, as well as in the 

 harder construction of the bill, unlike the true snipe. 

 We give, as the most correct of all naturalists, the 

 generic character of the godwit from Sir W. Jardine : 

 " Bill very long, strong at the base, compressed, 

 bending upwards ; mandible smooth, rounded, slightly 

 dilated at the tip, projecting beyond the maxilla; 

 wings long, quills with the shafts very strong, flat- 

 tened, first longest; legs long; tibias naked for the 

 greater part of their length ; outer toes connected by 

 a membrane more than half the length of the basal 

 joint; hind toe articulated on the tarsus." 



Habits maritime , gregarious in winter, clamorous 

 in breeding season. Europe, Asia, America. Types : 

 L. melanura, ru/a, Sc. &c. 



The Common or Red Godwit (Limosa rufa). Grey 

 Godwit. Common or Red Godwit of British authors. 

 Red-breasted Snipe. 



