304 SCOLOPACIDjE. 



and a half in length, has very much the appearance of two 

 thin flat pieces of whalebone coming. to a point and curving 

 upwards ; the irides reddish-brown ; top of the head, occi- 

 put, nape, and back of the neck, black ; interscapulars and 

 upper part of the back, white ; scapulars, lesser wing-coverts, 

 and the wing-primaries, black ; all the other parts of the 

 plumage pure white ; legs and toes pale blue. 



The whole length is nearly eighteen inches. From the 

 carpal joint to the end of the wing, eight inches and a half; 

 the first quill-feather the longest in the wing. 



In young birds of the year the dark-coloured parts of the 

 plumage are tinged with brown ; the scapulars edged with 

 reddish-brown, and the tail-feathers are brownish. During 

 the second year, till the autumn moult, some of the elongated 

 dark feathers are still reddish-brown at the end. 



The young in down- are of a greyish- white, variegated with 

 brownish-grey on the crown, back and sides, an irregular 

 line of blackish spots down the middle of the rump, and a 

 well-defined blackish line on each side from the wings to 

 the rump terminating in a black tuft ; the bill black, and 

 distinctly curved ; a black streak leading from the base to 

 the eye, and beyond it ; legs and toes greenish-blue. 



