CURLEW. GRALLATORES. NUiMENIUS. 61 



GENUS NUMENIUS, LATH. CURLEW. 



GENERIC CHARACTERS. 



Bill very long, slender, incurved, slightly compressed, 

 rounded through its whole length, with the tip of the under 

 mandible projecting beyond the lower one; hard, and semi- 

 obtuse ; laterally furrowed for three-fourths of its length. 

 Tomia of the upper mandible a little in advance from the 

 base, bending inwards progressively towards the tip, and 

 forming a channel in the centre of the interior of the bill ; 

 those of the under mandible even and straight. Angle of 

 the chin very narrow, extending about one-half the length of 

 the bill, and covered with feathers. Nostrils near the base 

 of the bill, placed in the lateral groove, linear, and covered 

 above by a naked membrane. Lores (or space between the . 

 bill and eyes) covered with feathers. 



Legs long, slender, naked above the tar sal joint. Feet 

 four-toed ; three before and one behind ; the front ones 

 connected at the base by a large membrane. Toes short ; 

 the outer and inner ones of nearly equal length ; hind toe 

 short, and articulated above the plane of the others upon the 

 tarsus, its tip only resting on the ground. Claws short and 

 blunt. Front of the tarsus partly scutellated ; back of the 

 tarsus reticulated. Front of the toes scutellated. 



The Curlews, from their close affinity to the genus Ibis 

 of the preceding family, are properly placed at the head of 

 the Scolopacidce, to the most typical species of which they 

 directly lead through other nearly allied groups, thus main- 

 taining that striking succession of affinities which is so uni- 

 versally found throughout Nature. They are birds of mi- 

 gratory habits, arid, during the winter season, collect in 

 flocks, and resort to the sea shores ; generally frequenting 

 such as offer extensive oozy sands, easily perforated by their 



