G28 SCOLOPACID'E, 



Messrs Dickson and Ross from Erzcroom, and M.Teniniinck 

 says that it inhabits the Islands of the Indian Archipelago. 



This species breeds in high northern latitudes in North 

 America ; and according to Mr. Audubon goes as far south 

 as Florida in winter. They feed on insects, small Crustacea, 

 and worms, which they obtain by probing in the soft sand 

 at the edge of the water. 



The Curlew Sandpiper in its summer plumage has the beak 

 nearly black ; the irides brown ; the head and neck all round 

 reddish chestnut, slightly varied with small streaks of black and 

 white ; the back, scapulars, small wing-coverts and tertials 

 nearly black, each feather edged with reddish chestnut ; the 

 greater wing-coverts ash brown edged with greyish white ; 

 primary and secondary quill-fcathcrs nearly black with white 

 shafts ; rump and upper tail-coverts white with a few dark 

 spots ; tail-feathers ash colour with white shafts ; breast and 

 belly reddish chestnut indistinctly barred transversely with 

 lines of black ; axillary plume white ; vent, flanks, and under 

 tail-coverts, reddish white, barred and spotted with black ; 

 under surface of tail-feathers greyish white ; legs and toes 

 greenish black. The whole length about eight inches and a 

 quarter ; the females rather larger than males : the wing from 

 the carpal joint to the end of the first feather, which is the 

 longest, five inches. 



In autumn the under surface of the body of an adult bird 

 is a mixture of white and pale red in patches, and the dark 

 feathers on the back and wing-coverts are mixed with some 

 new feathers which are ash grey ; the quill-feathers dusky. 



Young birds of the year in their first autumn have the 

 neck ash grey ; the feathers of the back, scapulars, wing- 

 coverts and tertials dark brown, margined with reddish buff 

 colour, which, later in the season as winter approaches, change 

 slowly to ash colour, with buffy white, and ultimately with 

 pure white edges ; under surface of the body white tinged 

 with red, becoming afterwards pure white. 



