362 
Birds. 
The female lays four whitish eggs, with olive-coloured 
dashes, and marked with irregular spots of black. Pen- 
nant and Latham say, that it flies round its nest when 
disturbed, making a noise like a lapwing. It is not so 
common on the sea-shore as several others of its kindred. 
We must here observe, that this bird has often been 
mistaken for others. The fact is, that several birds 
changing their plumage, and increasing or diminishing 
their size according to their age, the season of the year, 
and the climate they live in, set all nomenclators at 
defiance, and confound all classifications. 
THE GODWIT, (Limosa cegocephah,) 
Is met with in various parts of Great Britain, and is 
rather larger than the woodcock, which it much re- 
sembles in appearance. In spring and summer it resides 
in the fens and marshes, where it rears its young, and 
feeds on small worms and insects ; but in winter it seeks 
the salt marshes and the sea-shore, where it feeds upon 
the shell-fish and marine animals left by the retiring 
tide. A peculiarity belonging to this bird is the shape 
of its bill, which is a little turned upwards. The head, 
neck, and back are of a reddish brown ; the under part 
of the body white ; the legs dusky, and sometimes black. 
The Godwit is much esteemed by epicures as a great 
delicacy, and sells very high. It is caught in nets, to 
which it is allured by a stale or stuffed bird, in the same 
manner and in the same season as the ruffs and reeves. 
