262 ’ SCOLOPACIDA, SNIPE, ETC.—GEN. 222. 
222. Genus NUMENIUS Linneus. 
Long-billed Curlew. Sickle-bill. Bill of extreme length and curvature, 
measuring from 5 to 8 or 9 inches; total length about 2 feet; wing a foot 
or less; tail about 4 inches; tarsus 24-23, scutellate only in front. 
Plumage very similar to that of the godwit; 
prevailing tone rufous, of varying intensity in 
different birds and on different parts of the same 
bird, usually more intense under the wing than 
~ elsewhere; below, the jugulum streaked, and 
the breast and sides with arrow-heads and bars, 
of dusky ; above, variegated with black, especi- 
ally on the crown, back and wings; tail barred 
throughout with black and rufous; secondaries 
rufous ; primaries blackish and rufous; no pure white anywhere; bill black, 
the under mandible flesh colored for some distance; legs dark. Temperate 
N. Am., abundant; breeds in the U. 8. Wus., viii, 23, pl. 64; Nurv., 
ii, 94; -Aup., vi, 35, pl. 355; Cass. in’ Bp., 743. . . . BONGIROSTRIS- 
Hudsonian Curlew. Jack Curlew. Bill medium, 3 or 4 inches long; 
length 16-18 ; wing 9; tail 33; tarsus 24-24. Plumage as in last species 
in pattern, but general tone much paler; quills barred. N. Am., abundant ; 
breeds in British America; U.S. chiefly during the migrations. Scolopax 
borealis Wixs., vii, 92, pl. 56; WV. intermedius Nutt., ii, 100. AvuD., vi, 
42. pl. 356; Nurr:, ii, 97; Cass. in Bo., 744. . ... = »HUDSONICUBE 
Esquimaux Curlew. Dough-bird. Bill small, under 3 inches long; 
length 12-15 inches; wing under 9; tail 3; tarsus 2. Plumage in tone and 
pattern almost exactly as in the last species, but averaging more rufous, 
especially under the wings, and primaries not barred. N. Am., abundant; 
distribution much as in the last species. Swarns., Fn. B.-Am., ii, 378, pl. 
65; Nurr., ii, 101; Aup., vi, 45, pl. 357; Cass. in Bp., 744. BORBALIS. 
Fig. 174. Long-billed Curlew. 
Suborder HERODIONES. Herons and their Allies. 
The character of this group has been indicated on p. 240. 
Family TANTALIDA. Ibises. Spoonbills. @ 
Under this head I associate the genera Tantalus, Platalea and Ibis, with its 
subdivisions ; all of these, especially the first, are very nearly related to the storks 
(Ciconiide) ; the last two agree more closely with each other, in the remarkable 
smallness of the tongue, and other characters. In all, the pterylosis is more or 
less completely stork-like. The head is more or less perfectly bare of feathers in 
the adult state, downy in young. Birds of medium and very large size, long- 
legged, long-necked and small-bodied, like the cranes, storks and herons, with 
ample,*more or less rounded wings, of which the inner quills are very large; tail 
very short, usually, if not always, of 12 broad rectrices; tibiz bare for a long 
distance ; tarsi reticulate, or scutellate in front only ; toes four, the anterior webbed 
