414 BIRDS OF DUMFRIESSHIRE 
THE BAR-TAILED GODWIT. 
Limosa lapponica (Linnaeus). 
A regular and common autumn-visitant to the shores of the Solway ; 
occasionally remaining throughout the winter. 
Bar-tailed Godwits appear on our coast late in August or 
early in September, their numbers being reinforced till the 
end of October, when they begin to diminish, though this 
species is seldom entirely absent until its northward passage 
in April. They frequent the soft muddy banks adjoining 
the green merse-lands, away from the firm sand or shmgle, 
the estuary of the Nith being a favourite resort. In some 
autumns, as in 1882, they are far more abundant than in 
others. From one hundred and fifty to five hundred birds 
may sometimes be seen in one flock, but from thirty to 
forty is the more usual number. In some seasons many 
large or small parties continue on our coast throughout 
the winter, and this would seem to happen after a more than 
usually great autumn immigration. Regarding the status of 
this species on the Solway, Mr. R. Service writes in 1907 as 
follows : " The whole of the winters of the 'eighties were 
marked by a continuance of the Bar-tailed Godwits. The 
decade following was just as strongly marked by sharply 
defined autumn and spring visits only. In more recent 
seasons only few have put in an appearance in autumn, 
and very seldom have I seen them at all during winter 
proper. This current season has been, up to the present 
time, remarkable for the large numbers on the Solway. . . . 
But the most extraordinary thing in connection with the 
Bar-tailed Godwit, as a Solway species, I have now to record. 
During the whole summer season (so-called) of 1907, a 
flock of the species, estimated to consist of about 200 
birds, has remained near to Carsethorn [Kirkcudbrightshire] 
far down the estuary of the Nith. . . . Most of the birds 
