Family CHARADRIID^. Genus Limosa. 



Subfamily Totanin.e. 



BLACK-TAILED GODWIT. 



LIMOSA MELANURA— Z«>Z?;-. 



Geographical Distribution.— -5^///.?/^. • Although it formerly 

 bred in the eastern counties of England, the Black-tailed Godwit 

 is now much rarer than the preceding species. It is nearly half a 

 century ago since the last eggs were taken in Norfolk. It occurs 

 sparingly, but fairly regularly, on spring and autumn passage, on 

 the low-lying coasts of the east of England, south of the Humber ; 

 much less frequently elsewhere, although it is said to visit the 

 coast of Lancashire every autumn. Very much rarer in Scotland, 

 even on the eastern coasts ; but it has been observed as far north 

 as the Shetlands ; on the west coast it is only accidental. Of 

 rare occurrence in Ireland, chiefly in autumn. Occasionally 

 strays inland to large sheets of water. A few laggards are some- 

 times met with in winter. Foreign : Western Palfearctic region ; 

 Oriental region occasionally in winter. Breeds in Iceland and 

 the Faroes. On Continental Europe it breeds in Belgium, 

 Holland, Denmark, Scandinavia (occasionally up to the Arctic 

 Circle), Poland, North Germany, and Central and Southern 

 Russia. In Asia it breeds in Western Turkestan and South- 

 western Siberia up to lat. 60*^, and as far east as the western 

 tributaries of the Obb. Passes Western Europe and along internal 

 routes on migration, and winters on the Spanish coasts and in the 

 basin of the Mediterranean, occasionally wandering to the 

 Canaries and Madeira, and down the Red Sea to Abyssinia. 

 The birds breeding in the East appear to pass West Turkestan on 

 migration to winter in the basin of the Caspian, in the Persian 

 Gulf, and in India and Ceylon, the birds visiting the latter country 

 crossing the Himalayas on passage. 



