THE BIEBS OF AUSTRALIA. 
“ Ground colour deep greenish, with dark spots scattered all over the surface ; 
66 mm. by 38.” (Middendorff.) 
Breeding-season. In Siberia, June and July (Middendorff). 
“ Breeds in Eastern Siberia as far North as Taimyr Peninsula and tundras at the 
mouth of Kolyma. Breeds in colonies, and is very noisy. I brought back some 
downy young. Seems not to breed in the region of true ‘ taiga.’ ” * 
Captain S. A. White writes : “ These birds are seldom seen in South Australia 
but on the Capricorn Islands, Queensland, I procured examples and was much 
struck by the difference in the length of the bill in the male and female. Many 
were noticed in these Islands, and fresh ones arrived each day, so poor and 
weak after their long fly from the north, that they would allow themselves to 
be handled. They w'ere noticed to leave the wet sand on the beach and walk 
about on the dry sand above high water mark, thrusting their long biUs into 
the sand, apparently after a white and red crab which I unearthed, also large 
sand-hoppers.” 
Mr. J. W. Mellor reports : “ They walk about quickly, all the time 
thrusting their long needle-flke biU into the water and sand and apparently 
getting plenty of food.” 
Mr. Tom Carter records : “ The Barred-rumped Godwit occurred in small 
flocks at certain places on the beach near Point Gloates. Specimens were 
shot there as late as May 27th, 1898. The earliest noted date of arrival was 
the 22nd of October.” 
“ Not very plentiful [Near Sydney]. Sometimes obtained at the mouth 
of Cook’s River, or on the shores of Botany Bay. The note of this species 
may be heard at night at Ashfield, as it passes over from its feeding-grounds 
on the flats of the Parramatta River, to those at Botany.”! 
“ A pair were shot out of a party of Godwits feeding in the shallows of 
the creek at Hungpe [N.W. Hainan off China] on the 30th of March ; these 
are nearly in full summer plumage. Later, on the 2nd of April, a soHtary 
bird was picked off the sandy shore of Hoehow harbour ; this is in winter 
dress.”! 
“ The Pacific Bar-tailed Godwit is a regular visitor to the Commander 
Islands during the migratory seasons. In 1883 I observed the first ones on 
the 10th of May on the sandy beach at Fedoskija, Bering Island, and specimens 
were obtained again during the latter part of September. While on Copper 
Island, in 1883, I saw one sohtary bird at Glinka, about the middle of July, and 
another at Pestschanii on the 30th of the same month, so that it may be that 
a few remain to breed. It is, however, not uncommon among arctic waders 
* Buturlin, Emu, Vol. XI., p. 97, 1911. 
f North, Birds County GumberL, p. Ill, 1898. 
J Swinhoe, Ibis 1870, p. 362. 
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