LIMOSA UROPYGIALIS, Gow.

Barred-rumped Godwit.

Lamosa uropygialis, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., February 22, 1848.

 

I saw this species in very great abundance, in company with Curlews, Oyster-catchers and Sandpipers, at
Pitwater in Van Diemen’s Land, feeding on the extensive flats left bare by the receding tide; I also
observed it on the sandy flats in Spencer’s Gulf and on the sand-banks at the mouth of the river Hunter in
New South Wales; and in all probability it is dispersed over the whole of the Australian coasts.

Another instance of the law of representation, so frequently spoken of in the course of the present work,
is here most conspicuously shown: to a common observer this bird would be considered identical with the
Bar-tailed Godwit (Limosa rufa) of Europe; but on comparing the two birds, he will find that the Australian
has at all times the lower part of the rump strongly barred with brown, while the same parts in the Zemosa
rufa, when in the light-coloured dress, are snow-white. The habits, manners and economy of the two birds
are so precisely similar that I was unable to detect any difference; various kinds of marine insects and
small-shelled mollusks are its principal food.

I have never yet seen a specimen of this bird in any other livery than the one represented in the accom-
panying Plate; Mr. McGillivray, however, informs me that one of the specimens sent home by him from
Australia was clothed in a rufous dress very similar to the summer plumage of the European species.

All the upper surface brownish grey, becoming dark brown on the centre and nearly white on the edges
of the feathers ; primaries brown with white shafts; rump and upper tail-coverts conspicuously barred with
brown and white; tail alternately barred with brown and white; throat and abdomen white; neck and
breast brownish grey ; under wing-coverts and flanks barred with brown and white; bill white at the base,
becoming brown at the tip ;“irides dark brown; legs brownish black.

In the youthful state the feathers of the back are of a much darker hue, and the tertiaries are conspi-
cuously toothed with white on their margins.

The figure is of the size of life.