CURLEW. GRALLATORES. TRINGA. 159 



brown, the prevailing colour, indeed, of the eggs of most of 

 the Scolopacidse. Its geographical distribution is very ex- 

 tensive, as the species appears to be the same in all the four 

 quarters of the globe. In addition to the specimens hitherto 

 recorded, a male and female were killed a short time ago 

 near Hartlepool, in the county of Durham ; and two, in the 

 collection of Sir WILLIAM JARDINE, were shot upon the 

 coast in Dumfriesshire. It runs with great quickness, and 

 feeds upon insects, worms, &c. for which it probes the sand Food. 

 by the water's edge. 



Fig. 4. Represents this bird when beginning to lose the General 

 summer plumage, taken from a specimen killed on the tion.^ 



Norfolk coast, in company with several others which had Summer 

 . ' plumage. 



nearly acquired the winter garb, and presented to me 



by H. GIRDLESTONE, Esq. of Yarmouth. 

 Bill black and deflected near the tip, its length one inch and 

 three-eighths. Crown of the head blackish-brown, mar- 

 gined with pale reddish-brown. Hind part of the neck 

 reddish-brown, streaked with hair-brown. Back and 

 scapulars black, deeply bordered with reddish- brown, 

 the tips of the feathers fading into yellowish-grey, and 

 much worn by the action of the weather, &c. Wing- 

 coverts pale hair-brown, margined with greyish-white. 

 Quills hair-brown, with white shafts. Upper tail- coverts 

 white, barred with black. Forehead, eye-streak, chin, 

 and throat white, mixed with pale orange-brown. Under 

 parts orange-brown, with a few white feathers inter- 

 mixed ; shewing the commencement of the winter plum- 

 age. Under tail-coverts white, with arrow-shaped black 

 spots. Legs black, much longer than those of the Ihm- 

 lin, and naked for half an inch above the tarsal joint. 

 Wings, when closed, reaching a little beyond the tail. 



Fig. 5. Is a young bird of the year, acquiring the winter 

 plumage. 



