342 BIRDS. 
extends beyond the end of the lower one, and projects a little downwards 
in front of it. The toes are palmated at their base. 
Scol. arcuata, L.; Enl. 818; Frisch, 224; Naum. 5, f.5. (The 
Curlew of Europe). Is the size of a Capon; brown; the edges of 
all the feathers whitish; rump white; tail striped with white and 
brown. It is eaten as game, of a tolerably good taste. Common 
along the coast of Europe, and in transitu in the interior. Its name 
is derived from its cry*. 
Scol. Pheopus, L.; Petit Courlis ; Enl. 142; Edw. 307; Frisch, 
225; Naum. 10, f. 10. (The Whimbrel). Half the size of the 
preceding, but has nearly the same plumage f. 
Scotopax ||, Cuv. 
The Woodcocks, or Snipes, have a straight bill, the nasal furrows ex- 
tending to near its point, which is a little inflated externally, to reach be- 
yond the lower mandible, and on the middle of which there is a simple 
groove; this point is soft and very sensible, and when dried, after death, 
assumes a punctured appearance. ‘Their feet are not palmated. A pe- 
culiar character of these birds consists in their compressed head, and 
large eyes placed very far back, which gives them a singularly stupid air, 
an indication which they do not contradict by their habits. 
Scol. rusticola, L.; La Bécasse; Enl. 885; Frisch, 126, 227; 
Naum. Ed. I, I, f. 1. (The Woodcock). The well-known plumage 
of this bird is variegated above with grey, red, and black spots and 
bands; grey beneath, with transverse blackish lines. Its distin- 
guishing character consists of four broad, transverse, black bands; 
which succeed each other on the back part of the head. During 
the summer it inhabits lofty mountains, and descends into the woods 
in the month of October. It lives either singly or in pairs, particu- 
larly in bad weather, and feeds on worms and insects. Few of them 
remain on the plains during summer §. 
Scol. gallinago, L.; La Bécassine, Enl. 883; Frisch, 229, 
Naum. 3,f.3. (The Common Snipe). Smallerthan the preceding, 
but with a longer bill; is distinguished by two broad, longitudinal 
black bands on the head, by the neck spotted with brown and fawn- 
colour, by a blackish mantle with two longitudinal fawn-coloured 
bands, by its brown wings watered with grey, by a whitish belly, the 
— 
* Add the Courlis @ méches étroites of the Cape (Num. virgatus, C.), Enl. 198;— 
the C. a m. ét. of India (N. lineatus); Le C. & long bec d’ Amerique;—the Num. longi- 
rostris, Wils. of America, Am. Orn. II, xxiv, 4;—Num. borealis, Id. vii, lvi, 1. 
+ Pheopus (ash-coloured foot), a name composed by Gesner. 
t Add the Num. tenuirostris, Ch. Bonap.;—the Num. rufus, Vieill. Gal. 245;—the 
Courlis demi-bec (Num. brevirostris, T.), Col. 381. 
N.B. In this genus, and almost in the whole of this family, the bill becomes 
lengthened by age. 
|| Scol.pax, the Greek name of the Woodcock, from scolops, stake, on account of 
its straight and pointed bill. Vieillot has changed it into Rusticoua. 
§ Add a closely allied species of North America (Scol. minor, Gm.), Arct. Zool. 
TI, pl. xix; Vieill. Gal. 242; Wils. VI, xlviii, 2;—Scol. sabini, Vig., Lin. Trans. 
XIV, pl. xxi, if a true species. 
