CURLEW SANDPIPER. 445 



Head of moderate size, oblong, compressed. Eyes of moderate size. 

 Neck of moderate length, rather slender. Body rather slender. Feet 

 rather long, slender ; tibia bare about a third of its length ; tarsus com- 

 pressed, anteriorly and posteriorly covered with numerous scutella ; hind 

 toe very small ; the rest of moderate length, slender, the fourth a little 

 longer than the second, the third longest, all free, scutellate above, flat 

 beneath, slightly marginate ; claws small, slightly arched, compressed, 

 acute, that of third toe largest, with the inner edge slightly dilated. 



Plumage very soft, blended beneath, slightly distinct above. Wings 

 long and pointed ; primaries tapering, obtuse, the first longest, the second 

 scarcely shorter, the rest rapidly graduated ; outer secondaries short, in- 

 curved, obliquely truncate, the inner web extending beyond the outer ; 

 the inner secondaries elongated, tapering. Tail rather short, slightly 

 I'ounded, of twelve rounded feathers, the two middle a little longer. 



Bill dark olive-green, dusky towards the point. Iris hazel. Feet 

 light olive, claws dusky. The head, neck and breast, are bright yellowish- 

 red, the sides whitish, the lower tail-coverts white, with a brownish-black 

 spot towards the end. The central parts of the feathers on the upper 

 part of the head are dark brown, and there are slight streaks of the same 

 on the hind neck and sides of the breast. The upper parts are mottled 

 with brownish-black and dull red, the rump pale brownish-grey, as are 

 the smaller wing-coverts. Quills greyish-brown, the primaries dark, the 

 outer secondaries light and tipped with white, the inner darker and glossed 

 with green. Upper tail-coverts white, spotted with brown and red ; tail 

 pale brownish grey, glossed with green. 



Length to end of tail 8| inches, to end of wings 9tj ; extent of wings 

 16; wing from flexure 5; tail 2/^ ; bill along the back 1^, along the 

 edge of lower mandible 1^^ ; bare parts of tibia ^ ; tarsus Ij'^g, middle toe 

 1, its claw {^^. Weight 2| oz. 



Adult Female, Plate CCLXIII. Young in autumn. 



The bill, iris, and feet as in the adult. On the upper parts the fea- 

 thers are brown, edged with darker, and margined with greyish yellow ; 

 the lore, cheeks and sides of the neck and body are greyish-yellow, with 

 dusky lines, a broad band from the mandible over the eye, the fore part 

 of the neck, and the rest of the lower parts, white. Quills and tail as in 

 the adult, but lighter. 



Length to end of tail 7f inches^ extent of wings 145. Weight If oz. 



