THE BLACK-TAILED GODWIT. 
223 
to have done so in Ireland. A pair which were shot early in July 
1831, about the banks of the Eoyal Canal, near its western termi- 
nation, in the county of Longford, may have contemplated nidifi- 
cation there. I saw the specimens in Mr. Glennon^s shop, Dublin. 
This godwit comes in extremely limited numbers to the north of 
Ireland, in the autumn, and sometimes early in the season. A 
young bird was shot in Belfast Bay, on the 26th of August, 1831, 
and at the beginning of the same month of 1837, two were 
killed.* September is the usual time of its appearance, and 
also of that of the bar- tailed godwit; — after October it is very 
seldom met with. I had not known its occurrence in the north 
in spring until the 6th of March, 1846, when one was shot at 
the last-named locality. But, indeed, until about that period, 
the black-tailed godwit was known only to the most observant 
shooters there (who pursue their occupation both by night and 
day) as an autumnal visitant; it was then shot at mid -winter 
likewise. On the 12th of June, 1828, three birds were seen 
in this bay, by Dr. J. D. Marshall, which both he and a 
shooter who accompanied him believed to be the black-tailed 
godwit. They appeared to be in very fine plumage, but would 
not admit of an approach within gun-shot. If not of this species, 
they must have been the Limosa mfa in its full red summer 
plumage. 
In the autumn of 1822, when common godwits were so 
remarkably abundant in the north of Ireland, more of the black- 
tailed species were likewise seen than either before that time or 
since. Dive, which were killed at one shot at Whitehouse Point, 
Belfast Bay, were sent to a bird-preservePs, as well as several 
others. One or two specimens only are commonly received by 
him in a season. At that time also (end of September 1822) 
four were shot from a flock consisting of sixteen or seventeen in- 
dividuals, by the oldest shore-shooter of the bay, who had never 
killed the bird before, though he had observed it and remarked 
its different colour and superior size to that of the common 
* Dr, J. D. Marshall. 
