636 
SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS. —LIMICOLJE. 
American Black-tailed Godwit. Ring-tailed Marlin. Feathers on side of lower 
mandible reaching to a point far in advance of those on upper. Rump blackish. Most upper 
tail-coverts conspicuously white ; longest coverts and the tail-feathers black with white bases, 
those of the tail-feathers most extensive, and the latter also white-tipped. The appearance 
of the parts connectively is therefore of a black rump, then a broad white bar, then a broad 
black bar, then a narrow white bar. Lining of wings sooty- blackish, mixed with some white; 
axillars black. Under parts rich ferruginous or chestnut-red, everywhere crossed with numer- 
ous irregular black bars, several on each feather, and usually also crossed, especially behind, 
with similar white bars, such variegation of black, white, and red most pronounced on the 
under tail-coverts. Upper parts blackish (brownish-black with greenish gloss), intimately 
mixed with rufous and ochrey or whitish, these lighter colors forming indentations on the edges 
of each feather. Primaries blackish, with white shafts and white basal spaces ; their coverts 
the same, with white tips. Bill light, probably orange or reddish, the terminal third black ; 
legs black. Length 14.50-16.50; extent 24.00-26.50; Mdng 7.50-8.50; tail 3.00-3.50; bill 
2.75-3.50 ; tibia bare 1.00 or more; tarsus 2.25-2.55 ; middle toe and claw 1.30-1.70. 9 
averages larger than $] weight 9.00-9.50 oz. ; $ 7.50-8.00 oz. Immature or winter specimens : 
Specific characters of wings and tail much the same. Upper parts dark ash, with black shaft- 
lines, the back varied more or less with black patches and whitish or rufescent markings. 
Fig. 443. — Willet, nat. size. (Ad nat. del. E. C.) 
Under parts whitish, more or less rufescent, with traces of black barring. N. Am. generally ;^ 
C. and S. Am. and W. I. ; not noted W. of the R. Mts., and apparently not common any- 
where in the U. S. ; breeds in high latitudes. The American representative of L. cBgocephala. 
Eggs 4, average 2.18 X 1-40, very heavy brownish-olive, with the usual markings. 
630. aegoce'phala. (Gr. alyoK€(})aXos, aigokephalos, goat-headed ; name of some bird.) Euro- 
pean Black-tailed Godwit. Very like the last ; characters of rump and tail substantially 
the same ; at once distinguishable by wJiite (not black) lining of wings and axillars. Europe, 
etc. ; only American as occurring in Greenland. 
631. uropygialis. (Lat. uropT/gialis, relating to uropygium , the rump.) White-tailed 
Godwit. Pacific Bar-tailed Godwit. Rump, tail, and its upper coverts, white, more 
or less tinged with rufous, barred throughout with black. Lining of wings and axillars white, 
former varied, latter barred, with dark gray. In summer, upper parts blackish, everywhere 
varied with rusty-red ; head, neck, and under parts rusty-red. In winter, grayish-brown 
above, the feathers with darker centres and blackish shaft-lines ; below, whitish ; sides and 
crissum with sagittate black marks. Averaging less than L. fosda; bill 3.50-4.50. A widely 
distributed Old World species, very near the bar-tailed godwit of Europe, L. lapponica, and 
probably identical with L. novce-zealandice ; lately ascertained to occur in Alaska, where it is 
common, and known to breed. Eggs like those of other godwits, 2.22 X 1-47. 
243. SYMPHE'MIA. (Gr. avixcprjfxi, sumpliemi, I speak with.) Semipalmate Tattlers. Bill 
