NUMENIUS.] AVES GRAULATORES. 195 



GEN. 73. NUMENIUS, Briss. 



185. N. arquata, Lath. (Common Curlew.) Head, 

 neck, breast, and all the upper parts, rufous ash ; belly and 

 abdomen white ; the whole variegated with dusky spots. 



N. arquata, Temm. Man. d'Orn. torn. n. p. 603. Common Curlew, 

 Mont. Orn. Diet, fy Supp. Selb. Illust. vol. n. p. 62. pi. 13. 

 Bew. Brit. Birds, vol. n. p. 36. 



DIMENS. Entire length twenty-two to twenty-five inches: length of 

 the bill from four to six inches and a half; of the tarsus three inches 

 three lines ; of the naked part of the tibia one inch two lines ; of the tail 

 four inches six lines ; from the carpus to the end of the wing from eleven 

 to eleven inches and a half: breadth, wings extended, from thirty-eight 

 to forty-two inches. 



DESCRIPT. Head, neck, and breast, pale ash tinged with rufous, the 

 shafts and central portion of the feathers dusky; upper part of the back 

 and scapulars blackish brown, the feathers broadly edged with pale rufous 

 brown ; lower part of the back inclining to white, spotted with black ; tail 

 yellowish white, with transverse brown bars ; belly and abdomen white, 

 with longitudinal dusky spots: upper mandible blackish brown; lower 

 one flesh-colour: irides brown: legs and toes pale bluish gray. The 

 female has less of the rufous, and more of the cinereous, tinge. The 

 young of the year have the bill considerably shorter, and nearly straight, 

 (Egg.) Olive green ; blotched and spotted with darker green and dark 

 brown : long. diam. two inches seven lines ; trans, diam. one inch eleven 

 lines. 



Common on most parts of the coast during the winter season. Retires 

 inland, and to more elevated spots, to breed. Deposits its eggs amongst 

 heath, rushes, or long grass, to the number of four or five. Feeds on 

 worms, insects, and molluscous animals. 



186. N. Phceopus, Lath. (Whimbrel.) Head, neck, 

 breast, and upper parts, pale ash-colour, spotted with 

 dusky: lower back, belly and abdomen, white. 



N. Phaeopus, Temm. Man. d Orn. torn. n. p. 604. Whimbrel, 

 Mont. Orn. Diet. Bew. Brit. Birds, vol. n. p. 38. Whimbrel 

 Curlew, Selb. Illust. vol. n. p. 65. pi. 14. 



DIMENS. Entire length seventeen inches: length of the bill three 

 inches three lines: breadth, wings extended, twenty-nine inches. 



DESCRIPT. Forehead and crown cinereous brown, the latter divided 

 in the middle by a longitudinal pale streak ; over each eye, another but 

 broader streak of white variegated with brown ; sides of the head, neck, 

 and breast, pale ash, with longitudinal brown streaks : upper part of the 

 back, scapulars, and wing-coverts, deep brown, the feathers with pale 

 edges ; lower part of the back white ; rump barred with cinereous brown; 

 tail cinereous brown, with oblique bars of a darker shade: belly and 

 abdomen white ; sides barred with brown : bill dusky, reddish towards 

 the base : irides brown : legs deep bluish gray. In young birds, the bill 

 is shorter, and not so much curved. (Egg.) Dark olive-brown, blotched 

 with darker brown: long. diam. two inches five lines; trans, diam. on$ 

 inch eight lines. 



N2 



