ESQUIMAUX CURLEW. 393 



hope to liave placed the old ones in a new and more advantageous 

 light. 



Perhaps no genus of birds has been less accurately studied, and not- 

 withstanding that it is exceedingly natural, it has but very recently 

 been restricted within its appropriate limits. The appellation it bears 

 was first given by Brisson, yet he was far from assigning its true 

 boundaries. In addition to the Curlews, he comprised in Numenius a 

 fe\v other birds (the Tantali of Linn^), now forming the natural family 

 of Tantalidce, and divided into the genera Tantalus and Ibis. The 

 true Numenii had been much more philosophically classed by Linn^ in 

 his extensive genus Scolopax, which, though not well formed, was still, 

 with very few exceptions, entirely composed of birds belonging to the 

 natural family Scoloimcidce. Under all circumstances, the union of 

 Numenius Avith Scolopax was far more natural than that with Tantalidce ; 

 and although we make use of the name given by Brisson, the credit of 

 establishing it in its present acceptation is due to Latham, or perhaps to 

 Illiger, who freed it from extraneous species, and we, with Temminck, 

 Vieillot, and others, adopt it as we find it. The species now regarded 

 as Numenii form a very natural group, being closely allied in manners, 

 colors, and somewhat even in size. Hence they have been continually 

 mistaken for each other, erroneously united, or wantonly multiplied, as 

 will be made amply apparent by the synonyms and scientific history of 

 each species. 



All the species of Curlews have the bill very long, slender, feeble, 

 much arched, slightly compressed, almost cylindrical, hard and obtuse 

 at tip, and entire : the upper mandible is longest, furrowed for three- 

 fourths of its length, rounded towards the tip ; the lower a little shorter. 

 The nostrils are basal, lateral, longitudinal, linear, being placed in the 

 furrow. The tongue is very short, small, and acute. The face is 

 attenuated, and wholly feathered. The feet are rather elongated, 

 slender, bare above the heel ; the tarsi cylindrical, half longer than the 

 middle toe, with their integument reticulated : the three fore toes are 

 short, fimbriated, scutellated beneath, all connected at base by a short 

 membrane extending to the first articulation ; the hind toe is inserted 

 high upon the tarsus, slender, short, but longer than a phalanx of the 

 fore toes, bearing on the ground only at tip ; the claws are arcuate, 

 rather short, bluntish ; the cutting edge of the middle one being entire. 



The wings are long, acute, falciform, with from twenty-eight to 

 thirty stiff" quills : the first primary is longest ; the scapulars are 

 elongated. The tail, rather short, is somewhat rounded, and of twelve 

 feathers. 



They moult once annually : the females perfectly resemble the males 

 in color, and the young only differ, but can be known at once, by their 

 bill being much shorter and less bent. 



