LIMOSA. 119 



Genus MESOSCOLOPAX Sharpe, 1896. 



In structure this genus is similar to Xumenius but the tarsus is trans- 

 versely scaitellated both in front and behind. 



102. MESOSCOLOPAX MINUTUS (Gould). 



PYGMY CURLEW. 



Numenius ininuius Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc. (1840), 176. 



Mesoscolopax minutus Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1896), 24, 371; 



Hand-List (1899), 1, 159; McGregor and Worcester, Hand-List 



(1906), 25. 



Marinduque {Steere Exp.); Mindanao {Mearns). China, eastern Siberia, 

 Korea, and Mongolia; in winter Japan to Australia. 



"Adult female. — Above blackish, mottled with sandy-buff spots and 

 margins; wing-coverts blackish brown, with sandy-buff edges inclining to 

 whitish on greater coverts, which show traces of dusky l)ars ; lesser coverts, 

 alula, primary-coverts, and quills blackish brown ; first primary with a 

 white shaft, all the quills rather paler brown on inner web ; long inner 

 secondaries tawny on both webs, with dark brown centers and notches ; 

 lower back, rump, and upper tail-coverts blackish, mottled with spots of 

 ashy white, with which color also the feathers are tipped ; upper tail- 

 coverts regularly barred with ashy and blackish ; tail-feathers ashy gray 

 narrowly barred with blackish ; bars six in number, but not always strictly 

 continuous across the feathers; crown blackish, feathers slightly margined 

 with sandy buff; along center of crown a pale streak of the latter color; 

 lores, eyebrow, and sides of face uniform isabelline buff: upper margins 

 of ear-coverts slightly streaked -with dark brown ; throat whitish ; lower 

 throat and fore neck sandy buff like the sides of body, the former streaked, 

 and the latter barred with dusky brown ; center of breast, abdomen, and 

 under tail-coverts isabelline whitish ; under wing-coverts and axillars pale 

 sandy buff, with bars of dusky brown, mostly triangular in shai)e, the 

 axillars having a slight vinaeeous tinge. 'Bill blackish brown, flesh-color 

 at base of lower mandible; feet gray; iris dark brown.' (DybowsJci.) 

 Length, 330; culmen, 44; wing, 180; tail, 72; tarsus, 46. (Sharpe.) 



"Obtained by Bourns in 1888, while with the Steere Expedition, and 

 not mentioned by Steere." (Bourns and Worcester MS.) 



Genus LIMOSA Brisson, 1760. 



Legs and bill long and slender, the latter gently curved upward ; cul- 

 men, 100 mm. or more. 



Species. 



a*. Tail barred with blackish bro\\'n and white baueri (p. 120) 



a'. Tail with a white base and broad, black, terminal band; upper tail-coverts 

 pure white limosa (p. 121) 



