238 



LIMICOL.f:. 



CHARADRIID.^. 



CHARADRIID^. 



CuRsomus GALLicus (Gmeliii*). 

 THE CREAM-COLOURED COURSER. 

 Cursor ins Europceus. 



CuRSORiiTS, Lathamf. — Beak a trifle shorter than the head, straight to the 

 eud of the nasal sinus, then decurved to the tip, which is pointed. Nostrils 

 oval. Tarsi long and slender ; toes, three only, all in front, middle toe almost 

 as long again as the lateral toes. Wings long, rather pointed ; the first and 

 second quill-feathers the longest in the wing. 



The Cream-coloured Courser was first described by 

 Buffou from a specimen killed in France, and to this cir- 

 cumstance it owes its specific name ; but neither to France, 

 nor indeed to any of the countries north of the Mediter- 

 ranean, can the bird be considered as otherwise than an 

 irregular visitant, although it is naturally more frequent in 

 Southern than in Northern Europe. 



* Characlrius galHcus, Gmelin, Sjst. Nat. i. p. 692 (1788). 

 t Ind. Orn. ii. p. 751 (1790). 



