314 LIMICOL^. 



The North- American Black Oystercatcher is said (PaUas, Zoogr. 

 Rosso -Asiat. ii. p. 131) to be a common bird on the Kurile Islands, 

 but I have never seen any examples from the Asiatic continent. I 



Bill of HcBmatopus niger. Natural size. 



have a skin procured by Wossnesensky on the Aleutian Islands, 

 where it is known as a summer visitor. Its breeding-range extends 

 along the southern coast of Alaska as far south as the coast of Upper 

 California. It winters on the coast of Lower California. 



315. NUMENIUS ARQUATUS. 

 (COMMON CURLEW.) 

 Scolopax arqimta, Linnseus, Syst. Nat. i. p. 242 (1766). 



The Eastern race of the Common Curlew completely intergrades 

 with the Western or typical race, but it was described as distinct as 

 long ago as 1829 under the name of Numenius lineatus (Cuvier, Reg. 

 An. i. p. 521). It can, however, only be regarded as subspecificaUy 

 distinct under the name of Numenius arquatus lineatus. It is a large 

 bird (tarsus more than three inches long), and it has a white lower 

 back and rump. 



It differs from the European form in having the lower back and 

 the axillaries without any dark markings, in having whiter margins 

 to the scapulars and the feathers of the upper back, and in having, 

 on an average, a longer bill (varying from 5^ to 8 instead of from 4J 

 to 7 inches) . 



The Oriental race of the Common Curlew was probably found by 



