138 BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 



feet deep lead colour. Dimensions in mm.: — Length, 385; bill, 

 75; wing, 225; tail, 95; tarsus, 54. 



Female {breeding plumage). — Similar to male. 



Male and Female (winter plutnage). — Lower back perfectly 

 white ; under surface less distinctly streaked ; otherwise similar to 

 summer plumage. 



Youtig. — Upper surface much mottled, the feathers spotted on 

 both webs with whitish or pale reddish buff ; under surface practi- 

 cally similar to adults. 



N&st and Eggs. — Unknown. 



Breeding Season. — Unknown. 



Geographical Distribution. — Tasmania, Australia in general. 

 New Guinea, through the Malay Archipelago to Japan and 

 Eastern Siberia. 



Observations. — So far as my observations go, this species is a 

 somewhat rare visitor to our shores. When it does straggle down 

 here it is with the other migratory waders, in whose company it 

 may be seen ; its food and general habits are also very similar. The 

 Australian Whimbrel is very closely allied to the species found in 

 Europe — in fact, some authorities go so far as to consider them 

 one and the same. In general appearance this bird is very 

 similar to the Curlew, but smaller. 



*BAEEED-EUMPED GODWIT 

 {Limosa novm-zealandia , Gray). 



Male {breeding plumage). — Upper surface blackish, mottled 

 with pale rufous and cinnamon; lower back and rump dusky, 

 feathers with white edges ; tail feathers greyish-brown, barred and 

 tipped with white ; wing coverts dark brown, feathers edged with 

 white and some tinged with chestnut ; primary coverts and quills 

 blackish, primaries lighter brown on inner webs; secondaries edged 

 with white and with subterminal white mark on inner webs; 

 crown of head chestnut, streaked with black ;. eyebrow chestnut; 

 lores and side of face chestnut, the former spotted with black; 

 under surface chestnut, streaked with black on upper breast; 

 under wing coverts thickly mottled with dusky bases to the 

 feathers ; axillaries distinctly barred with dusky-brown ; iris brown ; 

 bill, tip blackish, base reddish; feet blackish-brown. Dimensions 

 in mm. : — Length, 376; bill, 86; wing, 224; tail, 74; tarsus, 55. 



Female {breeding plumage). — Similar to male, but less dis- 

 tinctly marked. i. 



Male and Female {winter plumage). — Upper part of back rusty- 

 brown, mottled with white ; lower back greyish-white, varied with 

 brown ; rump and upper tail coverts barred with brown ; tail 

 feathers brown, barred and tipped with white ; wing coverts brown, 

 more or less tipped with white ; primaries brown ; secondaries light 

 rust-brown ; crown and sides of the face dusky-brown ; throat 



