HUDSONIAN CURLEW. '285 



rather obtuse. Nostrils basal, lateral, longitudinal, linear. Lower 

 mandible with the dorsal line arched, or nearly parallel to that of the up- 

 per, the angle extremely narrow and extended to near the end, the sides 

 at the base nearly erect with a shallow groove close to the rather obtuse 

 edge ; the tips obtuse, and about equal in length. 



Head rather small, oblong, compressed. Neck rather long, slender. 

 Body rather full. Feet of moderate length, slender. Tibia bare a con- 

 siderable way above the joint ; tarsus with numerous anterior scutella, 

 excepting in its upper fourth, where, and on the sides, it is reticulated. 

 Toes small, scutellate above ; first very small, second and fourth about 

 equal, third considerably longer ; the anterior toes marginate, and con- 

 nected at the base by short webs, of which the outer is larger. Claws 

 small, compressed, obtuse, that of middle toe much larger, curved out- 

 wards, with a sharp dilated inner edge. 



Plumage soft and blended, on the fore part of the head very short ; the 

 feathers in general small, oblong or ovate and rounded. Wings rather 

 long, very acute, narrow, the primaries tapering, the first longest, the se- 

 cond a little shorter, the rest regularly and rapidly graduated ; secon- 

 daries short, incurved, rounded, excepting some of the inner, which are 

 greatly elongated and tapering. Tail short, rounded, of twelve rounded 

 feathers. 



Bill brownish-black, the basal half of lower mandible flesh colour. 

 Iris dark brown. Feet greyish-blue, claws black. The upper part of 

 the head is deep brown, with a central longitudinal hne of white, and a 

 broader lateral one of the same over each eye ; a brown line from the bill 

 to the eye, and another extending behind the latter. The neck all round 

 is pale yellowish -grey, longitudinally streaked with brown, excepting the 

 chin or upper part of the throat, which is greyish-white. The upper parts 

 in o-eneral are blackish- brown, marked with numerous spots of brownish- 

 white, there being several along the margins of each feather; the wings and 

 rump are lighter, the upper tail-coverts and tail barred with brown and 

 yellowish-grey, the latter tipped with white. Primaries and their coverts 

 brownish- black, the outer vmspotted on their outer web; all with trans- 

 verse lio-ht markings on the inner ; the secondaries like the smaller coverts. 

 Breast and abdomen greyish-white, the sides tinged with cream-colour, 

 and barred with pale greyish-brown ; the outer lower tail-coverts with a 

 few brown marks. 



