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T E L L - T A L E GODWIT.
TOTAKUS MELANOLÉBCM, VlKII.l..
PLATE CCCVill. MALE ASD FEMALE,
IT is my opinion that they who have, given so much importance to
the cry of this bird, as to believe it lo ho mainly instrumental in ensuring
the safety of other species, and in particular of Ducks, have
called in the aid of their imagination to increase the interest of what
requires no such illustrations A person unacquainted with ¡|§js, Godwit
would believe, on reading its; history as recorded in books, thai
the safety of these birds depends on the friendly warning of their longbilled
and long-tongued neighbour. And y # i t is ¡it: Jio Season more
noisy or more vigilant than the Kildeer Elojréj^ not Ayer half so.jauch
so as the. Semipalmated species, the reiterau«l vociferations of which
are fit annoying. It is true that tiro Tell-tale is quite loquacious
enough ; nay, you, Header, and I, may admit that it is a cunning and
watchful bird, ever willing to admonish you or me, or any other person
whom it may observe advancing towards it with no good intent,
that it has all along watched us. But then, when one has observed
the habite of this bird for a considerable time, in different situations,
and when no other feathered creatures are. in sight, he will be convinced
that the. Tell-tale merely intends by its erics to preserve itself,
and not generously to warn others offtli.ci'' danger, So you may safely
banish from your mind the apprehension, which, thf j reading of boots
may have caused, that duck-shooting in the mitrsUe* of our Middle Districts,
is as hopeless. a pursuit as " a wild goose chase."
The. Tell-tale, Go.dw.it hag; a great range: in the l-'nited States,
where, indeed, X have found it in almost Syery district, and at all seasons.
It spends the winter along the shores of our estuaries, rivers,
and ponds, and in the rice-fields, from Man Jane) to. Mexico, It is
abundant then in South. Carolina, the Floridas,: and along the shores
of the Gulf of Mexico, as far as Texas, where, I found it in considerable
jhumb^s and paired, in the. rrtynths of April and May, along" with
the Yellow-shank Snipe, '• Totanns flavvpes. IT is also met with in
spring and autumn over the whole interior of the country, and I have
TELL-TALE GODWIT. 69
found- it quite abundant at those'seasons along the entire length of
the Mississippi, Ohio, and Missouri rivers, as well as on the Arkansas.
They •congregate in great numbers in the inland marshes of Florida,
and along its rivers, during the winter. I found them near Eastport,
in the State ©£ Maine, on the 11th of May 1883:5 • and on the ,coast
of Labrador, on the 1.8th of June: of the same year. In Newfoundland,
on the, 11th of August, the young were equal in size to theft:
parents, and being extremcK<,fat, tender,'and juicy, afforded excellent
eating. In general, however, these birds are thin and have a fishy taste.
HSlnnth.i' State of Maine and the -province of New Brunswick, the
Tell-tale is known by the name of " Humility," which, however, is an
appellation that--ill accords with its vociferous habits. The Creoles
of New Orleans call it ". Clou-clou ;"" and were those .syllables- rapidly
enunciated from two to live times in succession, the .sounds
would have some resemblance to the usual notes of the species.
When Hheso Go'dwits arrive.in the vicinity of New Orleans about
the middle of March, they appear in considerable flocks. They retire,
however, in the beginning of May, and return about, the first of July,
from which tin»! they continue tliere until'the end of autumn, some
indeedvremaining all winter. It seems, that at, i f e period of, their
disappearance at New Orleans, they retire '-to the; vast marshes near
the sea-shora* and there breed, for I have found them abundant near
the passes or mouths of the Mississippi in pairs, on the first of April,
when the air is warmer than in the interior. They are said to breed
in the marshes along the coast of New Jersey, where, according to
Wilson, they arrive early in April, and continueJintil November. It
is a curious fact that the Tell-tale Godwit, as well as some other birds
of similar habits, j&f of very rare occurrence along thg shores of Massachusetts
and Main«» This, however,' seems to be accounted for by
the: absence there-of the large spongy marshes, to which these birds
are fond of resorting.
Although found in the vicinity of both salt and fresh water, at all
seasons, it usually prefers the'.latter, and the spots which appear to be
best adapted to its nature ore ponds of which the' water is shallow
and the shores muddy, ® that they can walk and wade at ease upon
them. Wherever such ponds occur, whether in plantations or in the
interior of forests, or on extensive savannahs or prairies, there you
will find them actively employed, wading so far into the water as to