102 BRITISH HIUDS. [vol. xiv. 



long bill is dark brown from the tip half-way towards the 

 base ; but from the middle to the base it is pale ochre. This 

 break in the colouring of the bill has the effect of cutting it 

 in half. Now and again the Godwit flicked her short black 

 tail as she cautiously advanced towards the nest. The last 

 yard she took with a rush, and then stood over the eggs, erect 

 and watchful. The wind bent the half -expanded willow 

 blooms till they brushed her with their downy tips, a gleam 

 of sunlight illuminated her plumage and turned it a uniform 

 colour — a pale fawn tinged with grey. I sat scarcely darmg 

 to breathe ; she was the first Black-tailed Godwit I had seen 

 at close quarters. She soon settled down to brood. Her 

 long legs always seemed to give her trouble, and to require 

 a deal of adjusting. She first of all pitched forward, and after 

 much shuffling managed to get her legs comfortably tucked 

 away. 



I let her sleep for an hour. From a photographic point of 

 view this is tempting fate. Often the first chance is the one 

 chance, but after all the bird is much more than the photo- 

 graph. So I let her sleep. There was much to hear and 

 see. Curlews yodelled, Nightingales, Willow-Wrens {Ph. t. 

 trochiUis) and Whitethroats (5. c. communis) sang. Oyster- 

 catchers walked around in their peculiarly important 

 fashion, looking as if all the world waited for their Delphic 

 utterances. As the sun rose higher it beat down upon the 

 hot sand, and I could keep still no longer. I whistled softly, 

 and the Godwit awoke. I dropped the shutter and she 

 walked away. But after one or two exposures she grew 

 used to the sound and refused to move. Sometimes she 

 turned her back to me and slept ; then she would suddenly 

 face the camera and study my tent with interest. Now and 

 again she stood up to rearrange the eggs. About lo a.m. 

 (solar time) she became restless and uttered a low^ cry; she 

 seemed to expect her mate, but though he answered her he 

 did not come, so she walked off ; however, she soon returned, 

 and remained brooding until I left. 



I afterwards saw many Godwits in many places. As they 

 are not particular in the choice of a nesting-site it seems 

 strange that they no longer nest with us. I found them on 

 the open marshes and on the fields, as well as in the sand- 

 hills. I was never able to catch the young ones ; they vanish 

 like magic as soon as they can run. 



