206 



the feathers, reddish buff in colour with a central dark brown line, are appearing, but in most parts are 

 covered over or intermixed with down. 



Obs. The length of the beak varies considerably in different specimens ; and in the series we have examined 

 there are males with beaks as short as 2 - 7 inches, and others as long as 3'5, and females with beaks 

 varying from 33 to 4 - 4. One peculiar circumstance is the fact that so few females appear to occur, 

 either in the spring or autumn, compared with the number of males that are killed, scarcely one of the 

 former to twenty of the latter. The female may be easily distinguished, not only by being considerably 

 larger, but more especially by the tail, which is not regularly barred as is the case with that of the 

 male, but has very indistinct, and often imperfect, irregularly oblique bars, though it is marked with 

 rufous like that of the male. 



The Bar-tailed Goclwit is found throughout Europe during the seasons of migration, straggling 

 down into Africa as far south as the Gambia during the. winter. In Asia it is replaced by its near 

 relation, Limosa novw-zealandice (Limosa uropygialis, Gould) ; and we are unable to state where 

 these two species meet. The present species does, however, extend its range into Asia, having 

 been procured, as below stated, in Scinde. To the westward it is said to have straggled as far as 

 the Canaries. In Great Britain this Godwit is found in company with the Black-tailed Godwit 

 in the spring on its way to its breeding-haunts, and again in the autumn on its passage to its 

 winter-quarters. No instance is on record of its having bred in the United Kingdom, though, as 

 below stated, Mr. Robert Gray thinks that it may breed in the outer Hebrides. During its 

 migrations it is a tolerably numerous bird all along our coasts. Mr. Hearle Rodd writes to us 

 that it " appears in large numbers on the wet beaches on the Cornish coast in the early autumn, 

 nearly all apparently birds of the year, judging from the buffy tint of the under plumage. A few 

 only appear on their northern migration in the spring, passing to their breeding-places ; and these 

 are generally in partial summer-plumage. This Godwit, the Knot, the Curlew-Sandpiper, and 

 the Grey Phalarope, which in summer-plumage have the underparts red, and in the winter-dress 

 white, exhibit in their first autumnal plumage an intermediate tint of buffy white." We have 

 ourselves often shot this bird on the coasts of Kent and Sussex ; and Mr. Gurney informs us that, 

 though common on the mud banks of the estuaries and rivers of Norfolk in autumn, but few are 

 met with in winter or spring. According to Mr. Thompson it is a regular autumnal visitant to 

 Ireland, and is not uncommon on the coasts. In Scotland it is, according to Mr. R. Gray, widely 

 distributed in the winter season, but only found in flocks in estuaries, where the oozy shores 

 attract them by the profusion of small marine animals. Mr. Gray further writes, " I believe this 

 Godwit will yet be found nesting in the outer Hebrides, although at present I am not aware 

 of the eggs having been found. In 1858 Dr. Dewar shot five specimens on the 26th of June 

 on Bernera, an island in the Sound of Harris, three of which I had an opportunity of seeing 

 a month afterwards. They were in full breeding-plumage ; and Dr. Dewar informs me that 

 all the birds he saw had paired, and seemed from their habits to have their nests at no great 

 distance." 



Mr. J. A. Harvie Brown writes to us that " this species is very abundant in autumn upon 

 the coasts of the Firths of Tay and Forth, and is one of the tamest of our shore-birds. On their 

 first arrival, in the end of August or beginning of September, they are easily lured within range 

 ,of a fowling-piece by imitating the note of some other shore-bird. Thus, by imitating the low 



