( 7; ) 



The Curlew. Arquata. 



Numb. LXXIX. 



ITS Length from the tip of the Bill to the end of the Claws is twenty 

 nine Inches, to the end of the Tail twenty three and half; breadth, 

 when the Wings are extended, forty Inches. The Male is fomewhat lefsy 

 and commonly call'd, T/je Jack Curlew. The middle parts of the Feathers 

 of the Head, Neck and Back are black ; the Borders or Edges in the Breaft 

 white ; in the Throat whitifli with a tindure of red ; the Rump and Belly 

 white; the Feathers invefting the under fide of the Wing are all white j 

 the firil: Row or outmoft Quill -Feathers are all over black; the reft fpotted 

 with white : The firft Feather of the fecond Row is all black ; the tips 

 of the eight or nine next are white. This Bird hath a fmall fharp- 

 pointed black Feather at the end of the Wing, which whether or no it 

 is to be reckon'd among the Quill -Feathers one may juftly doubt. Its 

 Bill is iix Inches long, narrow, bowed of a dark brown or black Colour ; 

 its Tongue fharp and very fhort, extending not farther than the Angle of 

 the lower Chap; the Noftrils long; the Legs long, of a du Iky blue Co- 

 lour, bare of Feathers half up the fecond Joint: The Claws are fmalt 

 and black, that of the middle Toe thinned into an Edge on the inlide ; all 

 the Toes are connefted by a thick Membrane from the Divarication to the 

 iirft Joint. It hath a great Gall-Bladder, with a long Neck extending to the 

 Gut, which concurs not in one common Faffage with the Gall-pore, but 

 enters the Gut at a diftindl Hole, tho' near to that. 



It hath a mufculous Stomach or Gizzard like granivorous Birds; in 

 the Stomach of one was found Perriwmkle Shells, fmall Stones and Grit, 

 ^c. In another Frogs, 6)^c". The flngle blind Gut is very long; the com- 

 mon blind Gut three or four Inches long and full of Excrements; above 

 the Stomach the Gullet is dilated into a Bag, granulated v/ithin with thick 

 fet papillary Grandulets. 



This Bird for the Goodnefs and delicate Tafte of its Flelh may juftly chal- 

 lenge the principal place among W^ater-Fowi : Of this our Fowlers are 

 not ignorant and therefore fell them dear. It is a Sea-Fowl, feeking its 

 Food on the Sands and Ouze and in Salt-Marihes : It is found ontheSea- 

 Coafts on all iides of En^and. 



The 



