44 THE HUDSONIAN CURLEW. 



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

 rather full. Feet of moderate length, slender. Tibia bare a considerable 

 way above the joint; tarsus with numerous anterior scutella, excepting in its 

 upper fourth, where, and on the sides, it is reticulated. Toes small, scutel- 

 late above; first very small, second and fourth about equal, third consider- 

 ably longer; the anterior toes marginate, and connected at the base by short 

 webs, of which the outer is larger. Claws small, compressed, obtuse, that of 

 middle toe much larger, curved outwards, 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 second a 

 little shorter, the rest regularly and rapidly graduated; secondaries 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 line 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 general 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 unspotted on their outer web; all with transverse light 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. 



Length to end of tail 19 inches, to end of wings IS, to end of claws 21; 

 wing from flexure 9i; tail 4; extent of wings 33; bill along the back 4i, 

 along the edge of lower mandible 4^-; tarsus 2 T %, middle toe 1/^, its claw 

 3-if. Weight 1 lb. H oz. 



The Female resembles the male. 



The bill varies greatly in length: in a specimen now before me, it is 2|f, 

 in another 2 T 9 2, while in the individual figured it was 4^. 



Dimensions of a male: — From point of bill to end of tail 18 inches, to end 

 of wings 18, to end of claws 19^; extent of wings 33; bill 3^-, along the 

 edge of lower mandible 3 T 7 2-; bare part of tibia 1^ inches; tarsus 2i inches, 

 hind toe 5 twelfths, its claw 3 twelfths; second toe 1-ff , its claw ff ; third 



