78 
RED GODWIT. 
pillars, and the slender feathers which cover the quills 
are deep black ; all the webs marked with oval spots 
of a bright red : the wing-coverts are grey, edged 
with pure white : the rump is white varied with brown 
spots : the quills are black, internally marbled with 
white : the tail is alternately rayed with bars of brown 
and white. The young have the head, nape, the top 
of the back, and the scapulars deep brown, edged 
irregularly with yellowish-white : the wing-coverts are 
edged with a whitish band : the forehead, eyebrows, 
the throat, the breast, belly, vent, and rump are pure 
white, as are the under taiUcoverts, but the latter 
are longitudinally varied with brown spots : the fore 
part of the neck and the sides of the breast are 
reddish-ash varied with small brown longitudinal 
streaks : the quills are black : the tail-feathers are 
alternately barred with brown and reddish-white. 
The Red Godwit is found in various parts of Eu- 
rope, Asia, and North America: in England it is found 
throughout the year, — in the spring and summer re- 
siding in the fens and marshes, where it breeds ; 
but in the winter it removes to the salt marshes on 
the coast, particularly near the mouths of large rivers 
and inlets. It feeds upon small worms and insects, 
and is much esteemed by epicures as a great deli- 
cacy, and sells very high : it is commonly taken in 
nets with the Ruffs, by means of a stale or stuffed 
bird. 
