General 
descrip- 
tion. 
Male. 
Summer 
plumage. 
Male. 
Winter 
Plumage. 
100 GRALLATORES. LIMOSA. GopwiIt. 
dris), Knots (T'ringa canutus), &c. ‘Their flight is power- 
ful, though not very rapid ; and when disturbed and raised on 
the wing, they generally send forth a cry, not unlike the 
bleat of the goat. Their flesh is juicy, and of excellent 
flavour, and on this account they are in great request for 
the table. In April, the males have acquired the nuptial 
plumage, after which period they entirely desert our shores, 
retiring to more northern countries, such as Iceland, Lapland, 
Sweden, &c. to breed. 
Pare 22. Fig. 4. Represents the male bird in the sum- 
mer plumage, and of the natural size. 
Crown of the head, nape and back part of the neck, pale 
reddish orange-brown, streaked with blackish-brown ; 
chin and eye-streak reddish-white. Fore part of the 
neck, breast, and all the under parts pale reddish- 
brown; the feathers of the belly and abdomen finely 
margined with white; the flanks and under tail-coverts 
being streaked with dark hair-brown. Upper part of 
the back and scapulars blackish-brown, with oval spots 
and margins of pale orange. Lower part of the back 
and upper tail-coverts white, with the central parts of 
the feathers dark hair-brown; some few of the latter 
being margined with orange-brown. Wing coverts ash- 
grey, with darker centres, and edged with white. The 
quills have their outer webs black, the inner ones hair- 
brown, mottled with white on the outer edge, with white 
shafts. ‘The tail marked with alternate bars of hair- 
brown and reddish-white. Bill flesh-red at the base ; 
with the fore-part blackish-brown, and frequently reach- 
ing to seven inches in length. Legs having the tibize 
much shorter than those of Limosa melanura ; and of 
a blackish-grey colour. 
Fig. 2./.Represents the winter plumage of the same species ; 
in which state the crown of the head, the space between 
the bill and eyes, the neck and breast are greyish-white, 
