226 SCOLOPACIDiE. 



bar-tailed godwit, and it occasionally appears here very early 

 after the breeding season. On the 31st of July, 1827, I saw 

 large flocks; on the 20th of July, 1846, some appeared; on the 

 6th July and two or three other days about that time in 1842, 

 the call of the species was heard by a shooter to whom it is well 

 known ; but the birds probably passed southward, as, until- the 

 16th of August, when I was informed of the circumstance, the 

 call had not been again heard. In August, these birds commonly 

 arrive ]* but no matter how early they come, September is the 

 month in which they are most numerous, and generally in the 

 early part of it. 



The number of godwits varies remarkably in different years, in 

 some being very scarce, in others abundant. The first that I met 

 with, was, when a young shooter, in 1822, in which year large 

 flocks appeared on the 7 th of September, on the short pasture and 

 the sandy beach at Holywood rabbit-warren, Belfast Bay. Their 

 tameness surprised me. Of all birds that. I had ever seen, they most 

 freely admitted the approach of the fowler, who had only to walk 

 directly towards them, and choose his distance from which to fire 

 as they were feeding or reposing on the strand. After a number 

 were killed from a flock on the ground, the remainder, though 

 taking wing on hearing the report, would sometimes pitch again 

 among the dead and wounded before the perpetrator of the deed 

 of blood, having again charged his gun, could reach the spot to 

 Lift them ; when a second volley would, in addition, lay some of 

 the others low. The pockets of a shooting-jacket at that time 

 usually sufficed to hold the few birds that might fall to my gun ; 

 but the number of godwits proved too great for them, and, not- 

 withstanding all that could be done in the way of squeezing and 

 pressing, the long bills and legs of the poor victims could not be 

 concealed, but kept dangling outside, thus serving as an announce- 



* According to notes of their earliest appearance during a few years, made at my 

 request by the shooter alluded to (the base of whose house is washed by the sea), they 

 were observed as follows: — in 1838, the earliest were two, which he killed on 

 the 10th of September; none appeared again until the 17th of the same month: 

 — in 1840, two, seen on the 4th of August, did not remain, but flew southward; 

 August 15, one, and August 19, nine noticed ; September 12, about sixty were in a 

 flock : — in 1841, four were observed on the 12th of August. 



