138 BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 



feet deep lead colour. Dimensions in mm. : Length, 385; bill, 

 75; wing, 225; tail, 95; tarsus, 54. 



Female (breeding plumage). Similar to male. 



Male and Female (winter plumage). Lower back perfectly 

 white ; under surface less distinctly streaked ; otherwise similar to 

 summer plumage. 



Young. Upper surface much mottled, the feathers spotted on 

 both webs with whitish or pale reddish buff ; under surface practi- 

 cally similar to adults. 



Ne'st and Eggs. Unknown. 



Breeding Season. Unknown. 



Geographical Distribution. Tasmania, Australia in general, 

 New Guinea, through the Malay Archipelago to Japan and 

 Eastern Siberia. 



Observations. So far as my observations go, this species is a 

 somewhat rare visitor to our shores. When it does straggle down 

 here it is with the other migratory waders, in whose company it 

 may be seen ; its food and general habits are also very similar. The 

 Australian Whimbrel is very closely allied to the species found in 

 Europe in fact, some authorities go so far as to consider them 

 one and the same. In general appearance this bird is very 

 similar to the Curlew, but smaller. 



*BARRED-RUMPED GODWIT 

 (Limosa novce-zealandice, Gray). 



Male (breeding plumage). Upper surface blackish, mottled 

 with pale rufous and cinnamon; lower back and rump dusky, 

 feathers with white edges; tail feathers greyish-brown, barred and 

 tipped with white ; wing coverts dark brown, feathers edged with 

 white and some tinged with chestnut; primary coverts and quills 

 blackish, primaries lighter brown on inner webs; secondaries edged 

 with white and with subterminal white mark on inner webs ; 

 crown of head chestnut, streaked with black; eyebrow chestnut; 

 lores and side of face chestnut, the former spotted with black; 

 under surface chestnut, streaked with black on upper breast; 

 under wing coverts thickly mottled with dusky bases to the 

 feathers ; axillaries distinctly barred with dusky-brown ; iris brown ; 

 bill, tip blackish, base reddish; feet blackish-brown. Dimensions 

 in mm. : Length, 376; bill, 86; wing, 224; tail, 74; tarsus, 55. 



Female (breeding plumage). Similar to male, but less dis- 

 tinctly marked. 



Male and Female (winter plumage). Upper part of back rusty- 

 brown, mottled with white; lower back greyish- white, varied with 

 brown ; rump and upper tail coverts barred with brown ; tail 

 feathers brown, barred and tipped with white ; wing coverts brown, 

 more or less tipped with white ; primaries brown ; secondaries light 

 rust-brown ; crown and sides of the face dusky-brown ; throat 



