290 SCOLOPACID.E. 



white bar across wing ; axillaries white, but sometimes barred with 

 brown. 



In summer. Breast reddish, belly white, barred with blackish brown. 



In winter. Ashy brown above, beloAv greyish white. Length 16-20 

 inches. 



322. Numenius arquata (Linnaeus). The Common Curlew. 



Moorish. Bou-khalal (Father of the toothpick or pin). Spanish. 

 Zarapito. 



"This bird is, near Tangier, only a winter resident, which 

 arrives in September and October and leaves during March. 

 They frequent the mouths of rivers and the sea-shore in large- 

 numbers, but they are very wild and difficult to get a shot at." 

 Favier. 



When at Larache towards the end of April I observed several 

 Common Curlews ; and a Spaniard who resided there asserted 

 that they nested near the town. No doubt if any Curlew breeds 

 there it would be the next small species. 



The Common Curlew is very plentiful near Gibraltar during the 

 winter months, being, perhaps, most frequent in February ; but is 

 very wary, as everywhere else in the world that I have met with it. 



Bill as in next three species, very long and curved downwards. 

 Crown pale brown, regularly streaked with dark brown; axillaries white, 

 barred with dark brown; rump paler than back. Length 21-26 inches. 



323. Numenius tenuirostris, Vieillot. The Mediterranean 



Curlew. 



This small Curlew is said to occur in spring and autumn about 

 the Straits. I never met with any, but Arevalo records them 

 from the Province of Malaga. 



Capt. Savile Reid mentions ('Ibis,' 1885) that this bird was 

 abundant during the winter of 1884-85 in the Laraish Valley, in 

 flocks of from twenty to a hundred. He obtained specimens 

 there, and also saw numerous flights at Meshree el Haddar ; he 



