Descriptive List of the Common Birds 



Its body is about the size of that of the crow. 

 It is a white bird with a number of black mark- 

 ings. The black markings are on top of the 

 head, back of the neck, the shoulders, and the 

 wings. The beak is black and the long legs are 

 dark grey. 



Wherever there is shallow water there may 

 the avocet be found wading in winter, for it 

 is only a winter visitor to India. It does not 

 appear to be very common anywhere. 



7 he Curlews, 189 and 190 



189. Numenius arquata : The Curlew. (F. 

 1454), (J. 877), (V.) _ 



This well-known bird is about the size of a 

 kite, and except for the white chin and throat 

 its colouring is rather like that of the kite. 

 But here all resemblance to the kite ceases. 

 The curlew is a long-shanked wading bird, with 

 a curved bill half a foot in length, the curve in 

 this case being downwards instead of upwards 

 as in the avocet. It has a wild, plaintive cry. 



It is a winter visitor to India. 



190. Numenius fhceofus : The Whimbrel. 

 (F. 1455), (J. 878), (+IV; about midway 

 between the crow and the kite.) 



This is a small edition of the curlew, but 

 205 



