WHIMBREL. 



519 



with brown longitudinal streaks ; legs and toes bluish black ; 

 claws black. 



The female, from which the representation was taken, mea- 

 sured eighteen inches ; the beak, from the point to the com- 

 mencement of the feathers on the top, three inches and a 

 half. 



An adult male measured sixteen inches ; the beak three 

 inches ; the wing, from the carpal joint to the end of the 

 longest primary quill feather, nine inches and a half; the 

 first quill feather the longest in the wing. 



In young birds of the year the beak is very short, not ex- 

 ceeding two inches in length ; but the sexes, whether old or 

 young, do not differ much either in tints or markings. 



The flesh of the Curlew and the Whimbrel are alike 

 excellent. 



The figure below represents the breast-bone of the Curlew, 

 one third less than the natural size. 



