288 GREAT MARBLED GOD WIT.
the extremity of a 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 commit equal havock 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 satisfied 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 a while, 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. 289
LIMOSA FEDOA, Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 328.—Swains.
and Richards, Fauna-Bor. Amer. part ii. p. 395.
GREAT MARBLED GODWIT, SCOLOPAX FEDOA, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. vii. p. 30.
pi. 56. fig. 4 Nuttall, Manual, vol. ii. p. 173.
Adult Male. Plate CCXXXVIII. Fig. 1.
Bill very long, slender, subcylindrical, tapering to the obtuse point,
slightly recurved. Upper mandible with the dorsal line slightly curved upwards
in its whole extent, the ridge convex, the sides with a narrow groove
extending almost to the point, the edges rather obtuse, the tip very slightly
enlarged. Nostrils basal, lateral, nearer the edge than the dorsal line,
small, linear, pervious. Lower mandible with the angle very long and
extremely narrow, the dorsal line slightly recurved, the sides with a narrow
groove extending almost to the end, the edge rather blunt, the tip
obtuse.
Head small, oblong, compressed. Neck rather long, slender. Body
slender. Feet long and slender. Tibia bare for about a third, anteriorly
scutellate; tarsus long, slender, covered anteriorly with numerous scutella,
scutellate behind also, laterally reticulate; toes small, slender, scutellate
above, flat beneath, broadly marginate, the anterior connected at
the base by webs, of which the outer is much larger; first toe very small,
second slightly shorter than fourth, third little longer. Claws small, compressed,
slightly arched, obtuse, that of middle toe with the inner edge
curved outwards and thin.
Plumage soft and blended, on the fore part of the head very short, on
the neck short and almost downy, on the abdomen and sides full, on the
back moderate ; all the feathers oblong and rounded. Wings rather long,
very acute, narrow ; primaries tapering, the first longest, the second little
shorter, the rest rapidly graduated; secondaries incurved, obliquely rounded,
the inner elongated and tapering. Tail short, even, of twelve narrow,
rounded feathers.
Bill dull flesh-colour in its basal half, the rest blackish-brown. Iris
brown. Feet bluish-grey. The head and neck light yellowish-grey, the
throat without markings, the upper part of the head streaked with blackish
brown, as is the hind-neck, the markings there being fainter. The
rest of the upper parts spotted and barred with brownish-black and greyish
yellow. Alula and primary coverts brownish-black, as are the outer
VOL. III. r