286 BIRDS OF EUROPE AND NORTH AFRICA 



Numenius tenuirostris Vieillot. Slender - billed 

 Curlew. 



(^ $ Much like "arquatus"'biit smaller; crown pale brown 

 streaked dark brown, lower back, rump, and upper tail coverts 

 white, last with a few brown streaks ; axillaries white ; large 

 brownish black pear-shaped spots on sides of breast. Bill brown^ 

 flesh coloured below at base. Legs and feet leaden-grey. Wing 

 250-258. Tarsus 64-69. Bill 75-89. $ generally the larger (H.). 



Breeds. — W. Siberia. Winters in Mediterranean Basin west 

 to Spain, south to Khartoum. Rare in Central Europe. Has 

 occurred west to Holland, Belgium, France, and England. 



Numenius phaeopus phseopus L. Whimbrel. Ger. 

 Regen-brachvogel ; Ital. Chiurletto ; Swed. Smaspofv. 



(^9 Smaller than "arquatus"; crown not streaked, but 

 dark brown with central buff stripe ; eyebrow broad, white 

 with fine brown streaks ; axillaries white, barred brown. Bill 

 black, pale brown below at base. Legs and feet bluish grey. 

 Wing 235-256. Tarsus 57-62. Bill 70-88. ? usually the larger. 



Breeds. — Iceland, Faroes, Shetlands, Scandinavia, Lapland, 

 Finland, N. Russia south to Perm ; also W. Siberia. Winters 

 in Africa and S. Asia. Has occurred occasionally Jan Mayen, 

 often S. Greenland, irregular Azores, Madeira, and Canaries. 

 Some birds remain the year round in winter quarters, but have 

 not been known to breed there. 



Numenius hudsonicus Latham. 



Resembles "phaeopus" but no white on lower back, rump, or 

 upper tail coverts, axillaries barred rufous and brown, inner webs of 

 primaries barred white. Wing $ 231-257, ? 240-267 (Ridgway). 



An American species ; very rare in Europe, reported from 

 S. Spain and Iceland. 



Numenius borealis (Forster). Eskimo Curlew. 



Resembles "hudsonicus" but no white bars on inner webs 

 of primaries ; under wing coverts and axillaries pale rufous barred 

 dark brown. Wing 210-215. Bill 50-58. Tarsus 43-47 (H.). 



An American si)ccieb ; also very rare in Europe, recorded 

 as occurring about eight times in British Isles. Appears to be 

 almost, if not quite, extinct. 



