644 



SYSTEM A TIC SYNOPSIS — LIMICOLM. 



dible. Wings and tail ordinary ; latter barred in color. Legs rather stout ; tibiae largely 

 denuded below ; tarsus much longer than middle toe and claw, scutellate in front only, else- 

 where reticulate. Toes short and thick, tiattened underneath, broadly margined on sides. 

 Of large and medium stature, and plump form. Coloration variegated ; rufous usually prevail- 

 ing. Sexes alike ; changes of plumage not pronounced. A cosmopolitan genus of sevei'al 

 species ; in character of Inll unique, in that of the legs very similar to Limosa. In fact, 

 barring the bill, Ntimenius longirostris closely resembles Limosa foeda. It is a curious fact 

 that Old and New World representatives of both these genera differ from each other in a simi- 

 lar manner, the former having the rump, tail and its coverts, and lining of wings white, barred 

 or not, while some or all of these parts in the latter are dark. Compare Limosa foeda with L. 

 v/ropygialis y L. hudsonica with L. lapponica ; Numenius hudsonicus with N. phceopus, etc. 



Fig. 451. — The European Curlew, Numenius arquatus, \ nat. size. (From Brelim.) 

 Analysis of Species. 



Feathers of belly bristle-tipped ta:itensis 



Feathers of belly normal. 



Rump white, more or less spotted with dusky. 



Upper tail-coverts and under wing-coverts white spotted and barred ^vith dusky . . plueopus 

 Rump, upper tail-coverts and lining of wings not white. 



Primaries varied with rufous. General coloration strongly rufous, especially below; lining of 



wings deepest rufous, little or not varied. Large ; bill 4-6-8 inches longirostris 



Primaries varied with rufous or whitish. General coloration scarcely or not rufous; Immg of 



wings entirely varied. Medium-sized ; bill 3-4 inches hudsonicus 



Primaries not varied with rufous or whitish. General coloration scarcely or not rufous ; lining 

 of wings entirely varied. Smallest ; bill under 3 inches borealis 



