THE CURLEW SANDPIPER. 



TRINGA SUBARQUATA. 



Bill curved downwards, much longer than the head. TFi?ifer— Upper tall-coverts 

 and all the under parts white ; upper plumage ash-brown, mottled with darker 

 brown and whitish ; breast the same colours, but much lighter ; bill black ; 

 iris brown ; feet dusky. Summer — Crown black, mottled with reddish ; under 

 plumage chestnut-red, speckled ^vith brown and white ; much of the upper 

 plumage black, mottled with red and ash. Length seven and a half inches 

 Eggs yellowish, with bro^vn spots. 



This bird, called also the Pigmy Curlew, is of about the 

 same size as the far commoner Dunlin, from which it is 

 distinguished not only by the difference in the colour of 

 its plumage, but by the greater length of its beak, which 

 is curved downwards. Pigmy Curlews are observed from 

 time to time in this country at the periods of autumn and 

 spring, and it is said that a few remain with us to breed, 

 but their nest and eggs have never been detected. In 

 their habits they resemble the Dunlins, from which they 

 may readily" be distinguished, even when flying, by their 

 white upper tail-coverts. They are of wide geographical 

 range, but nowhere abundant. 



G G 2 



