Family CHARADRIID^. Genus Numenius. 



Subfamily Totaninm. 



ESKIMO WHIMBREL. 



NUMENIUS BOREALIS.— (/. R. Forsier). 



Geographical Distribution.— ^/-///j/z .• Very rare straggler 

 to the British Islands, on autumn migration. The following 

 occurrences are on record. England : Suffolk (2 examples), 

 November, 1852; Scilly Isles (i example), September, 1887. 

 Scotland : Kincardineshire (2 examples), September, 1855 and 

 1880; Aberdeenshire (i example), September, 1879. Ireland: 

 Sligo (i example), October, 1870. Foreign: Northern Nearctic 

 region; Neotropical region in winter. Breeds on the tundras 

 above the limits of forest growth from Alaska to the shores of 

 Hudson Bay and Davis Strait. On the west it is said occasionally 

 to wander across Behring's Strait to the north-eastern coast of 

 Asia, whilst in the east it appears accidentally to stray to Green- 

 land. Crosses the United States, east of the Rockies, on migra- 

 tion, and the Bermudas, and winters in South America, south of 

 the Amazon valley, to Patagonia and the Falkland Islands. 



Allied Forms. — Numenius minut2is, an inhabitant during 

 summer of Eastern Siberia, passing through Dauria, Japan, and 

 China on migration, and wintering in the Malay Archipelago and 

 Australia. Closely resembles the Eskimo Whimbrel in general 

 appearance, but is smaller and with a longer tarsus. It may 

 always be distinguished by having the back of the tarsus scutellated 

 like the front — covered before and behind with narrow transverse 

 plates instead of hexagonal scales. 



Time during which the Eskimo Whimbrel may be 

 taken. — August ist to March ist. 



