346 CHARADRIIB.E. 



Young. Differs from the adult in being much more tawny, and, 

 as Mr. Seebohm has pointed out, young birds may always be dis- 

 tinguished from the old ones by the much lighter patterns of the 

 notches and bars on the innermost secondaries, these markings being 

 tawny buff, and the black centres to the feathers being much broader. 



I have united the Indian Curlew (Numenius lineatus) with 

 N. arquatus, because the only character for its separation is the 

 white lower back, without streaks or spots. This is a sign of winter 

 or young plumage in A 7 , arquatus; and many Eastern birds are also 

 found with black streaks and spots, for the simple reason that 

 these are concealed at first under the white plumage, and are merely 

 represented by shaft-lines. The latter, as the breeding-season ap- 

 proaches, become wider and more distinct, and are often assumed 

 quite early in the year. Thus a male shot by Colonel Irby in 

 January is nearly in full breeding-plumage. 



On the whole the Eastern birds seem to have rather longer bills, 

 but even these are approached by some European and African 

 specimens, and the reason for the occurrence of long-billed examples 

 in India and other parts of Southern Asia is, to a great extent, 

 accounted for by the curious fact that they are nearly all old birds. 

 As will be seen by the list of specimens given below, the immature 

 birds from the Eastern part of the Curlew's range are exceedingly 

 few in number. 



Hah. Europe generally, wintering in Africa, as far south as the Cape 

 Colony and in Madagascar. In Asia it extends as far as Lake Baikal, 

 and winters in the Indian Peninsula. Accidental in N. America. 



a. Juv. st. Ballynakuick, Ireland. C. Coningkam, Esq. 



[P.]. 



b. J ad. sk. Dunglow, Co. Donegal, Jan. Colonel Irby [P.]. 



14. 



c. S a d. sk. Orkney Islands, March 14 Seebohm Coll. 



(Dunn). 



d. Pull. st. Orknev Islands. Mr. Baker [C.]. 

 e,f. Ad. st. Beauly Castle, N.B. Lord Lovat [P.]. 

 (/, h, i. $ ad. sk. Beauly Castle, N.B., May, Lord Lovat [P.j. 



June. 



k. $ ad. st. [group]. Beauly Castle, N.B., June. Lord Lovat [P.]. 



/. $ ad. st. Cambridgeshire. Mr. J. Baker. 



m. <3 juv sk. Cookham, Berks, June (iJ. Tweeddale Coll. 



B. »S'.). 



n. $ juv. sk. Romney Marsh, Kent, Sept. Dr. R. B. Sharpe 



o, p. $ ad. et juv. Pagham, Sussex. Dr. R. B. Sharpe 



st. [P.]. 



q. Juv.sk. Pagham, Sept. Dr. R. B. Sharpe [P.]. 



r. d juv. ; s. £ juv. Pagbam, Aug. Shelley Coll. 

 sk. 



t. cT juv. sk. Pagham, Sept. [R. B. S.). Tweeddale Coll. 



u. 2 &d. sk. Pagham Harbour, Sept. 22 Seebohm Coll. 

 (J. E. Harting). 



v. rf ad. sk. Devonshire. Montagu Coll. 



w, x. 2 ad. sk. St. Bride's, S. Wales, Jan. 4. Hon. W. Edwardes 



[P.]. 



