ZOOLOGY. 
245 
with partially concealed small spots of black ; axillary feathers white. Quills with their outer webs light brown, inner 
webs ashy white marbled with black and narrowly tipped with white ; middle tail feathers brownish black ; outer feathers 
lighter, with transverse waved lines of black, and tipped with white ; bill greenish black ; legs greenish yellow. Total 
length 7^ to 8 inches ; wing, 5^; tail, 3; bill, from gape, 1; tirsus, 1^ inches. 
Hub. — All of North America, South America, Europe. 
Common at Shoalwater bay during the migrating season, in company with the other little 
sandpipers, and apparently seeking the same resorts and subsistence. — C. 
LIMOSA FEDOA, (Linn.) 0 r d . 
Marbled Godwit. 
Scolopaxfedoa, Linn. Syst. Nat 10th ed. 1, 1758, 14G : 12th ed. 1, 17G6, 244.— Wils. Am. Orn. VII, 1813, 30 ; pi. Ivi. 
Limosa fedoa, Ord. ed. Wils. VII, 1825.— Is. List, 1838.— Sw. F. B. A. II, 1831, 395.— Nutt. Man. II, 1834, 173.— 
AuD. Orn. Biog. Ill, 1835,287; V. 590; pi. 238.— Is. Syu. 24G.— Ib. Birds Am. V, 1842. 331; pi. 
348.— Baird & Cassin, Gen. Eep. Birds, 740. 
Sccilopax marmorata, Lath. Ind. II, 1790, 720. 
FiGDREs. —Wilson, Am. Orn. VII, pi. 56, fig. 1.— Aud. B. of Am. pi. 238 ; oct. ed. V,pl. 348.— Edwards' Birds, III, pi. 
137. —ViEiLL. Gal. des Ois. II, pi. 243. 
Sp. Ch. — Bill long, cm-ved upwards; both mandibles grooved; wings long; tail short; legs long; tibia with its lower 
half naked ; toes rather short, margined and flattened underneath ; the outer and middle toes united by a rather large 
membrane. Entire iipper parts variegated with brownish black and pale reddish, the former disposed in irregular and 
confluent bands, and the latter in spots and imperfect bands ; in many specimens the black color predominating on the 
back, and the pale red on the rump and upper tail coverts. Under parts pale rufous, with transverse lines of brownish black 
on the breast and sides ; under wing coverts and axillaries darker rufous ; outer webs of primaries dark brown, inner webs 
light rufous ; secondaries light rufous ; tail light rufous, with transverse bars of brownish black. Bill pale yellowish, red 
at base, brownish black at the end ; legs ashy black. Total length about 18 inches ; wing, 9 ; tail, 3^ ; bill, 4 to 5 ; tarsus, 
3 inches. 
Edb. — Entire temperate regions of North America ; South America. 
The marbled godAvit frequents Shoalwater bay in immense flocks during spring and fall, 
a few remaining all winter. The first flocks of young birds arrive from the north in July, 
but I think none breed in the Territoiy. They frequent, during their stay, soft mud flats, 
Avhich are extensive in the bay, feeding at low tide during either day or night. At high 
water they sit, concealed by the grass, always at a distance from woods or other concealment 
of their enemies, and are consequently very difficult to approach, being watchful and shy at 
all times. Along the gravelly steep shores of the upper part of Puget Sound they rarely 
appear. In the beginning of May they leave for their northern breeding grounds. I have 
examined large numbers, and have never identified more than one species in the Territory. 
The name of "curlew" is commonly, but wrongly, given them. — C. 
The godwit is exceedingly abundant in the markets of San Francisco, where I obtained and 
preserved a specimen in March, 1857. It measured in length 18 inches; extent, 31.25; bill, 
4.00.— S. 
NUMENIUS LONGIROSTRIS, Wilson. 
Ijong-billed Curlew. 
Numenius longirostris, Wilson, Am. Orn. VIII, 1814, 24 ; pl.l.\:iv.— Sw. F. B. A. II, 1831, 376.— Nutt. Man. II, 1834, 
88.— Add. Orn. Biog. Ill, 1835, 240 : V, 687; pi. 231.— Ib. Birds Am. VI, 1843, 35; pi. 355.— 
Baird & Cassin, Gen. Rep. Birds, 743. 
? Numenius occidmtalis, 'Woodhouse, Pr. A. N. Sc. VI, Nov. 1852, 194. — Ib. Sitgreaves' Expl. Zuiii & Col. 1853, 98 ; 
pi. vi. 
Sp. Ch. — The largest American species of this genus. Bill very long, much curved ; upper mandible longer than tlie 
under, somewhat knobbed at the tip ; wing rather long ; legs moderate ; toes united at base. Entire upper parts pale 
