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I'U.Kt'ociAi. <;KAi,i-A'i"om;s — limkoL/K. 



Lloiinatwl iiiiitT Hi'coiiiliiiii'H ilark lnuwii, ednfJ wiili niroiiN-lniH, iiiiil initihfil with nifoun ; greater 

 wiii;;-tiiviil-' ilull fiirtliy },'iuy, lnuailly lipipcil wiili wliiic ; iiuiliitii mul siiiallii- ^•l)Vt•I■t^<(lull linnvn, 

 t-dj^i'd ami (iiipiil with >;iayi>«h imH' ; rliiii dirty wiiitr ; siiK's nl' hcail, mck, ami luiant dark Imll ; 

 fluiikM wuahtii witii laiH " (Shaiu'K iV Dkkmnkh). /'dk/ii/ ynumi: •' HiiMy jollow, luurkttl will. 



black, e«]H'i'ially oii crown ami nmi|p ; a iiaiinw *trt'ak thiinij,'h tlic i-yr, winx-jttiiitH, fbuuku, and 

 belly. li),'ht ydlDwisli " (Sh.vki-k »& 1)iu;.s.hi;u). 



WiiiK, M.tMi-!).s(i ; ciiiuiL-ii, :5.7(i-».!».">; tarsus J hi»-;»mO; middlu toe, :i.(t(»-:!.l2. 



The Hliick-tailfd ijodwit claims a jilarc in tlif t'aiiiia of Noitii Aiiicrifa only as an 

 ut'cidciital visitant ol' (irrfiilainl. It is an inlialiitant ol tlic Old World, lii-ci'din.: 

 only in tlic more nortlicrn portions, but not within hi;,'li Arctic rcf,'ions. It is almovi 

 exclusively ini'^ratory in <ircat Kritain and Ireland, thoin^di a few remain there eacji 

 year ami lirecd. 



In Kn',dand. ac( ordini,' to Varrcll. it is most lie(|uently seen in tin' spring; and fall, 

 the tirst-t'omcrs licini,' adult liirds on their way to their l>reedinj,'-i,'roumls in hii;li 

 northern latitudes. In the autumn it is more ahundant than in the sprin;^. on account 

 uf the lar|,'e numlier of yoim^' liirds of tin' year ,i,'oin^' south, for the lirst time, to theii 

 winter-<|iiiirters. A few were still known to resort to ^he marshes of Norfolk and t" 

 the fens of Lincolnshire; hut these are very rarely permitted to lirecd unmolested. ii> 

 the large size, as well as the peculiar action, of this hird when it is lireedin;,'. are sure 

 to uttraet the notice hoth id' the sportsman and the e<,'!,'er. Varrell was informed in 

 1S."». liy the l!ev. IJicliard Luliliock. that this (iodwit still lireeds oci-asionally in some 

 of the Norfolk marshes, returnin.; to the same locality year after year, ami lieiu'^ 

 I'ouml in only two or three situ.itions. 



In its tli>;ht duriiif,' the lireeding-sea.soii it is said to rescmhle the Tntiimis ruHtlri.': 

 of Kurope; ami like that hird it Hies, when lirecdini;. arouinl the hcail td' any intruder 

 in the marsh, imt in more distant circles, and at a min-h ;;'reater heigl.t in the air. li 

 is known .in the rural districts of Kn^land l»y the Uu-al name cd' ••Shricker;" hut in 

 Varrell's opinion it does mit deserve the name, for its note, thouj^li loud, is veiy iai 

 from heing iidiarinonions. It is said to he hei-omiiii; more and more rare each year in 

 the hreedin;,'-scason. Its food consists id' insects ami their larva', worms, snails, ami 

 various other soft-lMidied animals. If disturhed when lireediuj,', it is said to 1" 

 very clamorous, tlyini,' roiimi ami utterint,' a cry wlddi is tlnMij,'ht to resemhle tin 

 syllahles ijriiffii-i/riiffii-i/nitfii ; ami liy tins name it is known hy the country hilk ol 

 Holland, .\cciiriling to Thomiison. this hint is seen occasionally in [reland.and oidy 

 ill the autumn. Kxamplesof it have heen olitained in Devonshire, and others at Car 

 liiiXtoii in Bedfordshire; and Varrell was informed hy Mr. Hond that severid si>eci 

 mens have been known to make their appeararee in the vicinity of Kinj,'shui\ 

 l{eservoir, a hii'K<' sheet of water a few miles north of homlon. Hpeeimens are also 



