458 THE BIRDS OF HELIGOLAND 



described, as in the above instance, as blood-blood-road, or vei 

 blood-red. 



This species breeds in southern Spain, Hungary, and the south 

 of European Russia, and within the same parallels of latitude 

 throughout the whole of Asia, likewise in north Africa and the 

 southern states of North America. 



Curlew Numenius. The genus of these stately birds does not 

 include a large number of species. It has been attempted, by 

 relying on individual variations, to raise the number to nineteen, 

 but Dresser, in his excellent work (Birds of Europe) shows that it 

 must be limited to nine. Jerdon cites the two usual European 

 species as likewise occurring in India, and also mentions N. 

 tenuirostris as having been observed there. America possesses 

 three independent species, N. longirostris, N. hudsonicus, and 

 N. borealis (Audubon, Syn. of N. Amer. Birds), of which the latter, 

 according to a statement of Harting, has, up to the year 1872, 

 occurred four times in England. Two of the European species 

 visit Heligoland regularly, and in large numbers ; the third, 

 N. tenuirostris, has been shot here once during the earlier years. 



260. Common Curlew [GROSSER BRACHVOGEL]. 

 NUMENIUS ARQUATA, Latham. 1 



Heligolandish : Groot Reintiiter = GVea Rain-tootcr. 



Numenius arquata. Naurnann, viii. 478. 



Common Curlew. Dresser, viii. 243. 



Courlis cendre. Temminck, Manuel, ii. 603, iv. 393. 



Large flocks and small companies of this Curlew pass by and cross 

 over this island during both migration periods of the year, uttering, 

 as they fly along, their far-sounding call-notes ; their numbers are 

 particularly large during the long dark nights of autumn. Being a 

 strong and hardy bird, it is not easily driven from its breeding 

 haunts by the inclemency of the Aveather, and its regular autumn 

 migration is hardly concluded with the end of autumn ; large 

 numbers, however, must annually remain in their breeding homes, 

 such being undoubtedly very old individuals who feel themselves 

 equal to staying out the winter ; for, if in December and January, 

 the regions of the far North or East are visited by a sudden sharp 



1 Numenius arquata (Linn.). 



