196 BIRDS WITH LONG, CURVED BILLS. 



CURLEW -SANDPIPER. Form and colouring, 

 much resembling the Knot (plate 108), but the bill 

 in the Curlew-Sandpiper is curved. 8 inches. Head, 

 neck, and back deep rufous, streaked with black ; rump 

 white ; tail dark ; under parts chestnut, whitish near 

 the tail ; bill slender, curved downwards ; legs dusky- 

 gray. In winter ashy-brown above, except towards 

 the tail, where it is white ; under parts white, with 

 fine dark streaks on the fore-neck. Spring and 

 autumn migrant. 



Distribution. A spring and autumn visitor to our 

 coasts, chiefly on the eastern side of Great Britain 

 and at the latter season ; appears occasionally beside 

 inland waters. 



In spring the Curlew- Sandpiper arrives in its 

 rufous nuptial garb, and in autumn is grayish, or 

 in process of changing its last remaining chestnut 

 patches. In its feeding habits it resembles Dunlins, 

 with which it associates, frequenting the shore-flats 

 in bands more or less numerous, working along the 

 tide-line at ebb, and flying in close formation, with 

 occasional flash of white as the under parts in all the 

 birds are turned simultaneously to view. 



DUNLIN 8 inches. Lacks the strong, downward curve of 



the bill which has earned for the Curlew- Sandpiper its 



name ; lacks also its white rump. 

 KNOT 10 inches. Veiy similar to the Curlew-Sandpiper 



both in its summer and in its winter garb, but larger, 



with stout, straight bill. 



HOOPOE. Plate 87. Length, 11 inches. General 

 colour of head and body, above and below, plain rich 

 buff, but rump and belly white ; wings with heavy 



