240 Allen's n.a^^uralist's library. 



widening before the tip. It has a sharp ridge on the cuhnen, 

 and the end is decidedly decurved, whence its Latin name of 

 sub-arcuatus^ and its English name of " Curlew "-Sandpiper, 

 from a certain resemblance of its curved bill to that of a Curlew. 



I. THE CURLEW-SANDPIPER. ANCYLOCHILUS SUBARCUATUS. 



Scolopax subarqiiata^ Giildenst. N. Comm. Petrop. xix. p. 471 



(1774)- 

 Trifiga siibarquaia, Macgill. Brit. B. iv. p. 215 (1852); 

 Dresser, B. Eur. viii. p. 59, pi. 553 (1878); B. O. U. 

 List Brit. B. p. 170 (1883); Saunders, ed. Yarrell, 

 Brit. B. iii. (1883); Seebohm, Hist. Brit. B. iii. p. 180 

 (1885); Saunders, Man. Brit. B. 403 (1889); Lilford, 

 Col. Fig. Brit. B. part xxv. (1893). 



Adult Male in Breeding Plumage. — General colour above deep 

 bay or dark cinnamon-rufous, varied with whitish edges to the 

 feathers, which are mottled ^^ ith black centres, taking the form 

 of stripes on the head and back, and of cross-bars on the 

 scapulars ; lower back dull ashy-brown, with whitish edges ; 

 sides of lower back, rump, and upper tail-coverts white, the latter 

 tinged with rufous, and showing a few black bars ; wing-coverts 

 brown, with whitish edgings, the greater series tipped with white, 

 forming a wing-bar ; some of the coverts rufous like the back, 

 and some of the inner secondaries also rufous on their edges ; 

 primary-coverts and quills darker brown, the latter with white 

 tips and white shafts, the secondaries fringed with white, more 

 broadly on the shorter ones, which are white at the base of the 

 inner web ; tail-feathers ashy-brown with white fringes and white 

 shafts ; head like the back, but showing less distinct blackish 

 centres to the feathers ; the hind-neck distinctly hoary, owing 

 to the edgings of the feathers ; sides of face and under surface 

 of body rich vinous chestnut with more or less distinct remains 

 of hoary margins to the feathers ; vent and under tail-coverts 

 white, the latter tinged with rufous, and having a few black 

 bars ; sides of body and flanks pure white, the latter with a few 

 black bars ; under wing-coverts and axillaries pure white ; lower 

 primary- coverts and under surface of quills light ashy ; bill, legs, 

 feet, and claws black; iris hazel. Total length, 7-4 inches;; 

 culmen, 1-35; wing, 5*3; tail, rg; tarsus, 1-15. 



