ZOOLOGY. 245 



with partially concealed small spots of black ; axillary feathers white. Quills with their outer webs light brown, inner 

 webs ashy white marbled with black and narrowly tipped with white ; midille tail feathers brownish black ; outer feathers 

 lighter, with tiausverse waved lines of black, and tipped with white ; bill greenish black ; legs greenish yellow. Total 

 length 7i to 8 inches ; wing, 5^; tail, 3; bill, from gape, 1; txrsus, 1^ inches. 

 Bah. — All of North America, South America, Europe. 



Common at Slioalwater bay during the migrating season, in company with the other little 

 sandpipers, and apparently seeking the same resorts and subsistence. — C. 



LIMOSA FEDOA, (Linn.) r d . 



Marbled Oodwit. 



Scolopaz fedoa, Linn. Syst. Nat 10th ed. 1, 1758, 14C : 12th ed. 1, 1766, 241.— Wils. Am. Orn. VII, 1813, 30 ; pi. Ivi. 

 Limosafedoa, Ord. ed. Wils. VII, 1825.— Ib. List, 1838.— Sw. F. B. A. II, 1831, 395.— Nott. Man. II, 1834, 173.— 



Acu. Orn. Biog. Ill, 1835,287; V. 590 ; pi. 238.— Ib. Syu. 246.— Ib Birds Am. V, 1842. 331; pi. 



348.— Baird & Cassis, Gen. Rep. Birds, 740. 

 Scolopax marmorata, Lath. Ind. II, 1790, 720. 



Figures. — Wilson, Am. Orn. VII, pi. 56, fig. 1. — Aud. B. of Am. pi. 238 ; oct. ed. V,pl. 348. — Edwards' Birds, III, pi. 

 137. — ViEiLL. Gal. des Ois. II, pi. 243. 



Sp. Ch. — Bill long, curved upwards ; both mandibles grooved ; wings long ; tail short ; legs long ; tibia with its lower 

 half naked ; toes rather short, margined and flattened underneath ; the outer and middle toes united by a rather large 

 membrane. Entire upper parts variegated with brownish black and pale reddish, the former disposed in irregular and 

 confluent bands, and the latter in spots and imperfect bands ; in many specimens the black color predominating on the 

 back, and the pale red on the rump and npper tail coverts. Under parts pale rufous, with transverse lines of brownish black 

 on the breast and sides ; under wing coverts and axillaries darker rufous ; outer webs of primaries dark brown, inner webs 

 light rufous ; secondaries light rufous ; tail light rufous, with transverse bars of brownish black. Bill pale yellowish, red 

 at base, brownish black at the end ; legs ashy black. Total length about 18 inches ; wing, 9 ; tail, 3J ; bill, 4 to 5 ; tarsus 

 3 inches. 



Eab. — Entire temperate regions of North America ; South America. 



The marbled godwit frequents Shoalwater bay in immense flocks during spring and fall, 

 a few remaining all winter. The first flocks of young birds arrive from the north in July, 

 but I think none breed in the Territory. They frequent, during their sta}^ soft mud flats, 

 which are extensive in the bay, feeding at low tide during either day or night. At high 

 water thej^ sit, concealed by the grass, always at a distance from woods or other concealment 

 of their enemies, and are consequently very difficult to approach, being watchful and shy at 

 all times. Along the gravelly steep shores of the upper part of Euget Sound they rarely 

 appear. In the beginning of May they leave for their northern breeding grounds. I have 

 examined large numbers, and have never identified more than one species in the Territory. 

 The name of "curlew" is commonly, but wrongly, given them. — C. 



The godwit is exceedingly abundant in the markets of San Francisco, where I obtained and 

 preserved a specimen in March, 1857. It measured in length 18 inches; extent, 31.25; bill, 

 4.00.— S. 



NUMENIUS LONGIROSTRIS, Wilson. 



Long-billed Cwrle^v. 



Wumenius longirostris, Wilson, Am. Orn. VIII, 1814, 24 ; pi. Ixiv.— Sw. F. B. A. II, 1831, 376.— NnxT. Man. II, 1834, 



88.— AuD. Orn. Biog. HI, 1835, 240 : V, 587; pi. 231.— Ib. Birds Am. VI, 1843, 35; pi. 355.— 



Baibd & Cassin, Gen. Eep. Birds, 743. 



9 Nummim occidentalis, Woodhodse, Pr. A. N. Se. VI, Nov. 1852, 194.— Ib. Sitgreaves' E.xpl. Zufli & Col. 1853, 98 ; 



pi. vi. 



Sp. Ch. — The largest American species of this genus. Bill very long, much curved ; upper mandible longer than the 



under, somewhat knobbed at the tip ; wing rather long ; legs moderate ; toes united at base. Entire upper parts pale 



