BIRDS — SCOLOPACTOAE — NUMEJIIUS L0NQIR0STRI8. 743 



Niimenius, Linn, 

 NUMENIUS LONGIROSTRIS. Wilson. 



Loug-billed Cnrlcw. 



Seolepax arguata, var. 0. Gmkun, 1, 1788, 656. 



A'umenitu artpiatt, yar. B. Latham. In J. II, 1790,710. 



Xumeniut tongimtris, Wilson, Am. Orii. VIII, 1814, 21; pi. l.\iv.— Bon. Obs. \S-i'>, No. 200.— Sw. F. B. A. II, 1831 



376.— NuTT. Man. n, 1834, 88.— Aud. Orn. Biog. Ill, 1835, 240: V, 537; pi. 231.— Ib. Bird* 



Am. VI, 1813,35: pi. 355, 

 " Xumenius mdanopus, Yikillot, Nouv. Diet." 

 Kumenna rufus, Vikillot, Galerie, 11, 1825, 118; pl.2't5. 

 " A'umaiiiis brafilicntis, Wied." 

 fyummius oceidmlalU, Wuoduodse, Pr. A. N. Sc. VI, Nov. 1852, 194. — lu. Sitgreaves' Expl. Zuili & Col. 1853, 93; pi. vi 



Sp. Ch — The largest American species of this genus. Bill very long, much curved; upper mandible longer than the under 

 somewhat knobbed at the tip; wing rather long: legs moderate; toes united at base. Entire upper parts pale rufous, tinged 

 with ashy; every feather with transverse and confluent bands of brownish black, most numerous and predominating on the back 

 and scapulars; secondary quills, under wing coverts, and axillaries, bright rufous; primaries with their outer webs brownish 

 black and their inner webs rufous, with transverse bands of black. Under parts pale rufous, with longitudinal lines of black on 

 the neck and sides ; tail rufous, tinged with ashy, transversely barred with brownish black. Bill brownish black ; base of under 

 maudible reddish yellow; legs bluish brown. Specimens vary to some extent in the shade of the rufous color of the plumage, 

 and very much in the length of the bill. The rufous color is probably more distinct in the young. Total length about 25 inches ; 

 wing, 10 to 11 ; tail, 4; bill, 5 to 8; tarsus, 2i inches. 



JIub. — The entire temperate regions of North America. 



Numerous specimens in the collection of tlie expeditions attest the abundance of this fine 

 bird throughout every part of the United States. 



This bird appears to vary in size quite materially, and in the length of bill in different 

 specimens, so much so as to be quite perplexing. In fact, the bills of scarcely any two 

 specimens are of the same length. In color, also, there is considerable variety, but the species 

 can readily be distinguished. 



There are in the present collection specimens which are undoubtedly N. occidentalia, Wood- 

 house, as above cited, and it is not without doubts that we do not at present give it as a distinct 

 species. The clear rufous of the plumage and the shorter bill, as given by Dr. Woodhouse, are 

 present in these specimens, and, without a series of intermediate specimens, would appear to be 

 quite conclusive characters specifically. In the present collection, however, almost any length 

 of bill can be produced^ and the rufous color is very probably characteristic of young age. It 

 is quite possible, though, that more than one species may yet be determined. 



List of specimens.^ 



' Tlie list of specimens from the <xillcctions of the exploring expeditions having been mislaid, is not given here. 



