332 
THE GREAT MARBLED GODWIT. 
mud or sand-bar, to fire with a certainty of obtaining something worth his 
trouble, for besides the number killed by his first shot, he is likely to com- 
mit equal havoc with the second, as they fly off in a dense mass. 
On the 31st of May, 1832, I saw an immense number of these birds on 
an extensive mud-bar bordering one of the Keys of Florida, about six miles 
south of Cape Sable. When I landed with my party, the whole, amounting 
to some thousands, collected in the manner mentioned above. Four or five 
guns were fired at once, and the slaughter was such, that I was quite satis- 
fied with the number obtained, both for specimens and for food. For this 
reason, we refrained from firing at them again, although the temptation 
was at times great, as they flew over and wheeled round us for awhile, 
until at length they alighted at some distance and began to feed. Those 
which we killed were plump, and afforded excellent eating. I was much 
surprised to find these Godwits so far south, but next morning, when none 
were to be seen excepting some wounded birds which we had not pursued, 
I concluded that the flock, which was the largest I have seen, had merely 
alighted there for the day. 
The flight of this bird is regular and rather quick, although in the latter 
respect not to be compared with that of the Curlews. When flying to a 
considerable distance, or migrating, they usually proceed in extended lines, 
presenting an irregular front, which rarely* preserves its continuity for any 
length of time, but undulates and breaks as the birds advance. The beat 
of their wings is regular, and they rarely utter any cries on such occasions. 
This species enters the United States, on its return from its northern 
breeding-grounds, about the middle of August, and probably travels along 
the coast at that period as well as when proceeding northward, none having 
been seen by me or my party in Labrador or Newfoundland, and their 
passage having been observed only on the Atlantic shores of Nova Scotia, 
and the whole line of our coast, on different parts of which some of the 
flocks alight, and rest for a few weeks, both in spring and in autumn. I 
may add, that I never saw one of these birds beyond the distance of a few 
miles from the sea-shore. 
Great Marbled Godwit, Scolopax Fcdoa, Wils. Amer. Orn., vol. vii. p. 30. 
Limosa Fedoa, Bonap. Syn., p. 328. 
Limosa Fedoa, Great Marbled Godwit , Swains, and Rich. F. Bor. Amer., vol. ii. 
p. 395. 
Great Marbled Godwit, Nutt. Man., vol. ii. p. 173. 
Great Marbled Godwit, Limosa Fedoa , Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. iii. p. 287 ; vol. v. 
p. 590. 
Male, 16J, 28 h. Female, 20 h. 
Passes in spring from Texas along the coast, in immense flocks, to Massa* 
