840 



S YS TEMA TIC SYNOPSIS. — LIMICOLjE. 



in color. Legs rather stout ; tibias largely denuded below ; tarsus much longer than middle 

 toe and claM', scutellatc! in front only, elsewhere reticulate, scutellate behind also in N. minntiis, 

 now made type of Mesoscolopax on this account. Toes short and thick, tlattened underneath, 



well webbed at base and broadly margined on sides. Of 

 large and medium stature, and plump form. Coloration va- 

 riegated ; rufous usually prevailing. Sexes alike ; changes 

 of plumage not pronounced. A cosmopolitan genus of 

 about 9 species: in character of bill unique, in that of the 

 legs very similar to Limosa. In fact, barring the bill, 

 Numenius longirostris closely resembles Limosa fedoa. It 

 is a curious fact that some Old and New World representa- 

 tives of both these genera differ fi'om each other in a sim- 

 ilar manner, in respect of the coloring of the wings and 

 tail. Compare Limosa fedoa with L. lapponica; L. hce- 

 mastica with L. limosa ; Numenius longirostris with N. arquata; N. hudsonicus with N. phce- 

 opus. We have 5 perfectly good species of Curlews, 3 of tliem common native birds, one a 



Fio. 588. —Long-billed Curlew, greatly 

 reduced. 



iMil 



Fig. 589. —The European Curlew, yumenius arquata, i uat. size. (From Brehm.) 



straggler from Europe, one a straggler to the Pacific coast. They well illustrate the whole 

 genus; of which certain species having the crown with a light median stripe between dark 

 lateral areas, as N. phceopus and N. hudsonicus, are known as Whimbrels. 



