340 BIRDS OF TUNISIA 



In winter and on migration the species frequents sea-coast 

 districts, particularly mud-flats and similar open localities, where 

 food is abundant, and where it cannot easily be approached. At 

 such times it is usually to be found in large flocks, and when thus 

 united is one of the wildest and most wary birds. Its flight is fairly 

 rapid, but less so than that of the Whimbrel, and it is fond of wading 

 in shallow water in search of food. Its well-known note, or alarm 

 cry, is loud and clear and is fairly rendered by the syllables forming 

 the bird's English name. The species feeds on crustaceans, small 

 fish, worms, insects, and to a certain extent on vegetable substance. 



NUMENIUS PH^OPUS (Linnseus). 

 WHIMBEEL. 



Scolopax phaeopus, Linn. Sijst. Nat. i, p. 243 (1766). 



Numenius phseopus, Lath. Gen. Syn. Suppl. i, p. 291 (1787) ; Malherhe, 



Cat. Rais. d'Ois. Alg. p. 21 (1846); Loche, Expl. Sci. Alg. Ois. ii, 



p. 333 (1867) ; Koenig, J. f. 0. 1888, p. 265 ; id. J. f. 0. 1893, p. 89 ; 



Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxiv, p. 355 ; Erlanger, J. f. 0. 1900, 



p. 68. 



Description. — Adult male, winter, from Marocco. 



Upper parts greyish-brown, darker on the crown and back, and lighter 

 on the nape, crown with whitish median and side stripes ; rump and upper 

 tail-coverts white, barred with greyish-browu ; primaries blackish-brown, 

 barred on the inner webs with white ; tail dusky grey, barred with dark 

 brown, and fringed with white ; chin white ; breast whitish, streaked with 

 brown ; sides of body and flanks barred with triangular brown spots ; centre 

 of abdomen and crissum white. 



Iris brown ; bill dark brown ; feet grey. 



Total length 15 inches, wing 9-30, culmen 3, tarsus 2-40. 



Adult female similar to the male. 



Although the least abundant of the three members of the genus 

 found in Tunisia, the Whimbrel is to be met with not unfrequently 

 on the coasts of the Eegency during the periods of migration and 

 in winter. It may sometimes be observed in the immediate vicinity 

 of the town of Tunis, and examples are occasionally to be seen in 



