140 



of dry rushes or grass, and lays 4 eggs of a greenish 

 colour, spotted with brown. 



As winter approaches they assemble in great num- 

 bers, and frequent the sea-side, where they feed upon 

 marine insects, 



2. PILEOPUS. WHIMBREL. 



N. rostra nigro, pedibus ccerulescentibus, maculis 

 dorsalibus fuscis rhomboidalibus, uropygio albo. 

 Lath. 



The whimbrel much resembles the curlew, but is 

 only half its size. 



The bill is three inches long, the upper mandible 

 is black, the lower one pale red. 



The upper part of the head is divided lengthways 

 by a white line, bounded on each side by a black 

 one; the sides of the head, neck and breast are of a 

 pale brown, marked with narrow dark streaks, point- 

 ing downwards ; the belly is of the same colour, but 

 the dark streaks upon it are larger; the vent and 

 lower part qf the back are white ; the rump and 

 tail-feathers are barred with black and white ; the 

 shafts of the quills are white ; the outer webs totally 

 black, but the inner ones marked with large white 

 spots, the secondaries spotted in the: same manner 

 on both the inner and outer webs ; the legs and feet 

 are black. 



