BAR-TAILED GODWIT. 29 



GRALLA TORES. SCOLOPACWJE. 



PLATE CLXXXVIIL 



BAR-TAILED GODWIT. 



LIMOSA RUFA. 



The Bar-tailed Godwit is a well-known British Bird, 

 more numerous than the black-tailed godwit, according to 

 some ornithologists, and rare according to others : such con- 

 tradictory accounts can only be reconciled by considering 

 various circumstances, as is in many instances the case : 

 namely, whether the locality where the ornithologist resides 

 suits the bird or not, and what opportunity he has to investi- 

 gate the matter. The greater number of this species that 

 are killed here, occur during the time of migration and in 

 winter, but we know of no instance of its having been 

 captured or seen during the summer. 



The geographical range of the Bar-tailed Godwit is most 

 probably much the same as that of the black-tailed godwit, 

 although we are told that it migrates neither so far north nor 

 south. According to Temminck, it inhabits the borders of 

 the Baltic in great numbers, and all the swampy marsh-lands 

 of Germany ; and visits the coasts of Holland, France, and 

 Spain, during its double migration, in great numbers. 



The locality preferred by this bird is well indicated by 

 the countries it visits, namely, fenny, boggy, marshy, and 



D 3 



