MORE WADERS 91 



THE BAR-TAILED GODWIT. 

 {Limosa lapponica^ 



Male. — The bill, flesh-coloured and dusky to- 

 wards the end, is four inches long and slightly bent 

 upwards ; head and neck pale grey, with brown 

 grey streaks. Back and scapulars grey, streaked 

 with brown ; hind-part of back white ; tail feathers 

 ash-coloured. A few of the outside feathers show 

 some white splashes, but these are not bars ; in 

 fact unless the tail is widely spread they cannot be 

 seen. Throat, breast, and other lower parts white ; 

 legs greyish-blue ; the feet darker. Length, from bill 

 to tail, fifteen inches. This is the plumage in which 

 they are seen on the north-east coast in winter. 



Ash - COLOURED Godwits. — The intermediate 

 changes are very varied. I have seen them all, 

 and must confess that they are a little bit puzzling. 

 Generally speaking, they are chestnut red in the 

 summer and ash grey in winter. When on flight in 

 winter plumage they look very like Whimbrels. 



The females are larger than the males. 



THE BLACK-TAILED GODWIT. 



(Limosa belgica.) 



Male. — The bill is straight, orange yellow for 

 a part of its length, the rest black; iris brown. 

 Head and neck brownish-grey, streaked with grey 

 brown ; fore-part of back and scapulars brownish- 

 grey, darker in the middle ; those on the hind- 



