NUMENIUS. 



149 



perhaps better than the Curlew, and has been called the " Woodcock" of 

 Bengal. 



Numenius arquatus. The Curlew. 



183. Numenius arquatus {Lm?i.), ferd., B.Ind.m. p. 683, No. 



877; Dresser, B.Eur, viii. p. 243, pi. ; Surfie, Sir. F. iii. p. 182 ; Murray, 

 Vert. ZooL, Sind. p. 247; Oales, B. Br- Burnt, ii. p. 4I2 ; Murray, 

 Avif. Brit. Ind. ii. p. 630, No. 13 14. Scolopax arquata, Linn., Syst. Nat, 

 I, p. 242. Numenius lineatus, Cuv., Regn. Anim. i, p. 521; Blyth, B. 

 Burm. I, p. 155 ; Legge, B, Ceylon p. 906. — The Curlew. 



Head, neck behind and in front, also the breast, rufescent ashy, or rufescent 

 grey brown, the feathers with dark mesial longitudinal shaft-streaks ; upper 

 back and scapulars varying from dusky to dark brown, the feathers broadly 

 edged fulvous or pale rufous ; upper abdomen white, the feathers with dusky 

 shaft-streaks ; lower abdomen, vent and under tail coverts pure white ; lower 

 back white; rump and upper tail coverts also white, with dark shafts; tail 

 fulvous white with transverse brown bars ; chin and throat white, also a small 

 space above the eye in some specimens ; first five primaries and edge of wino- 

 dark brown, their inner webs mottled with white ; secondaries dusky brown, 

 with transverse white bars on both webs half across only, the dark markings 

 forming a rude saw, the edges and tips of the feathers white. 



Length. — 21 to 26 inches ; wing 12 to 12-5; tail 4-5; bill at front 5 to 

 7-25 ; irides dark brown ; legs and feet bluish grey. 



Hab. — Throughout most parts of Europe, India, Burmah, Ceylon, N. Africa, 

 Egypt, Abyssinia and Palestine. Common along the sea coast and back 



