842 



S YS TEMA TIC S YNOPSIS. — LIMICOLJE. 



_^ 



other exceptional developments of parts of birds, this member grows to indeterminate length. 



Up to the time the bill is not over 3-4 inches long, the species may be distinguished from N. 



hudsoniciis by strong rufescence of under parts, which are nearly clear of dark markings, and by 



lack of pale median stripe on crowu, which marks a Whimbrel. This is our representative of 



N. arquata, the com- 

 mon Cui'lew or Whaup 

 of Europe. Entire tem- 

 perate North America; 

 breeds in much of range, 

 especially on prairies of 

 Northwest ; migratory 

 northward, resident in 

 some of the South, but 

 also south in winter 

 to Central America 

 and some of the West 

 Indies ; uncommon in 

 East north of Flor- 

 ida ; formerly nested 

 aboundingly on the 

 South Atlantic coast. 

 Eggs 3-4, not very pear- 

 shaped, more like hen's 



Fig. 592. — European Whimbrel. (From Seebohm's Charadriidae. ) po-p-e • '> 45— *? 80 V 1 80— 



1.90; clay-colored, tending either to darker olivaceous shades or to buff; spotting generally 

 pretty uniform and of small pattern (in some cases blotched or massed at greater end) of sepia, 

 chocolate, or umber-brown ; paler shell-markings usually numerous and evident. 

 N. phae'opus. (Gr. ^aids, ^j/to«os, dusky, swarthy ; ttoOs, ^o?*s, foot. Figs. 591, 592.) Eu- 

 ropean Whimbrel. Jack Curlew. Titterel. In stature and general appearance resem- 

 bling the Hudsonian Curlew; at once distinguished from that species by the white rump, upper 

 tail-coverts, and lining of wings, spotted or barred M'ith dusky. An extensively distributed 

 Old Wtirld species, only North American as occurring in Greenland. (Auk, 1889, p. 217.) 

 N. tahitien'sis. (Of Otahiti. Fig. 593.) PACIFIC Whimbrel. Otahiti Curlew. 

 Bristle-bellied or Bristle-thighed Curlew. Of medium size, about equalling iV. 

 phcEopus; length 17.00-19.00; extent about 34.00; wing 9.50-10.50; tail 4.00; bill 2.75- 

 3.75; tarsus about 2.25. Crown with light me- 

 dian and superciliary lines dividing dark areas, 

 as in other Whimbrels ; upper parts brownish- 

 black with the usual tawny variegation ; no 

 white on rump, tail, or lining of wiugs ; tail and 

 its coverts tawny, coverts spotted or streaked 

 with dusky, rectrices pretty regularly and firmly 

 barred with about 6 dusky bands, tipped with 

 tawny-white ; lining of wings and axillars fully 

 barred with tawny and dusky. Primaries black- 

 ish, varied to some extent on inner webs, shaft 

 of 1st white. Under parts pale tawny, chin 

 white, jugulum thickly streaked, sides more 

 loosely barred, with dusky, but most of under parts immaculate, and many feathers, especially 

 of flanks, ending in long glistening bristles. Bill livid flesh-color and blackish ; feet livid 



Fig. 593. — Pacific Island Whimbrel. 



