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Genus NUMENIUS. 



Numenius, Brisson, Orn. v. p. 311 (1760). 

 Scolojyax apud Linnaeus, Syst. Nat. i p. 242 (1766). 

 Phceopus apud Stephens in Shaw's Gen. Zool. xii. p. 36 (1824). 

 Cractiomis apud G. E. Gray, List of Gen. of B. p. 88 (1841). 



This genus is widely distributed, being found in the Palsearctic, Ethiopian, Oriental, Australian, 

 Nearctic, and Neotropical Regions, three species being common and resident in the Western 

 Palsearctic Begion, the fourth [Numenius borealis) being a rare visitant from the American 

 continent. 



These birds frequent moors, inland bogs, and uplands during the summer season, being 

 found more frequently on the sea-coasts during passage and in winter. They are extremely 

 shy and wary, and at the least sign of danger fly off uttering their loud, weird cry. During 

 the breeding-season they scatter about the wild moors in pairs, but in the autumn and winter 

 they collect in tolerably large flocks. They walk and run with ease and rapidity, and their 

 flight is strong and tolerably swift. They feed on insects, worms, small Crustacea, and snails 

 both inland and aquatic species. They nest on the moors and also in marshy localities, placing 

 in a depression in the ground or moss, or on a tussock, their four eggs, which are pyriform in 

 shape, and pale olivaceous-grey or dull olivaceous, spotted and blotched with dark brown and 

 light purplish brown. 



Numenius arguata, the type of the genus, has the bill very long, curved, rather broader than 

 high at the base, and tapering to the tip, which is obtuse, the upper mandible with a small 

 sulcate knob, in the depression of which the lower mandible fits ; both mandibles grooved, the 

 upper one nearly to the tip ; nasal groove long, narrow ; the nostrils linear, pervious, basal ; 

 wings long, pointed, the first quill longest, the inner secondaries nearly as long as the primaries ; 

 tail moderate, slightly rounded ; legs long, slender ; tibia bare for nearly half its length, reticu- 

 lated ; tarsus also reticulated, but having anteriorly a series of short scutella? for nearly two 

 thirds of its length ; toes slender, rather short, hind toe small, the anterior toes with flattened 

 papillse in transverse rows below, and webbed at the base to the first joint; claws small, obtuse, 

 slightly arched, that on the middle toe with the inner edge slightly dilated. 



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