178 THE BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



the legs pale slate-blue, and the irides dark brown. Length, 

 17 to 19 ins. Wing, 10 ins. Tarsus, 2*2 ins. 



Eskimo Curlew. N^ivicjiuis horcalis (Forster). 



The Arctic American Eskimo Curlew migrates to, or used to 

 migrate to South America, reaching Patagonia and the Falk- 

 lands, and when wandering has been obtained in England, 

 Scotland, and Ireland at least eight times. Packard writes of 

 immense flocks on migration along the Labrador coast in 

 autumn, and how the bird, fattening on crowberry, was 

 slaughtered for food. Coues tells'how it returned again and 

 again to its food, heedless of the shooting, and so the bird was 

 reduced in numbers until it is doubtful if any have survived. 

 The last recorded for Britain was one which reached the Scilly 

 Isles in 1887. The Eskimo Curlew resembles a small Whimbrel 

 with dark lower back and tail-coverts, and with sagittate 

 marks on the breast. Length, 14 ins. Wing, 8"25 ins. 

 Tarsus, 175 ins. 



Slender-billed Curlew. Numefiius te?itdrostris Vieill. 



The Slender-billed Curlew nests in western Siberia and 

 winters in southern Europe, occasionally wandering west on 

 migration. A small flock was reported in Kent in September, 

 1910, and three were shot ; in 1914 another bird was recorded 

 for the same county. It is about the size of the Whimbrel, 

 but with the Curlew head streaks and with black " pear- 

 shaped" spots on the flanks. Its short bill is brown, its 

 legs plumbeous, and its irides brown. Length, 17 ins. Wing, 

 9-9 ins. Tarsus, 2*5 ins. 



Sub-family HIMANTOPODIN^. 



Bill long, slender, straight, or recurved ; legs very long ; toes 

 three or four, anterior toes slightly or considerably webbed. 



