ESQUIMAUX CURLEW. 507 
admit even of well-based sections. If the species were numer- 
ous, we might perhaps divide them into those with white rumps, 
and those which have no white on that part, or into those show- 
ing the crown of the head marked with a central line, and those 
without this line. There being, however, but few species, we 
consider it more philosophical to view them as an undivided 
genus, beginning with the larger and ending with the smaller 
species: but at all events, the marks we have indicated (of 
the head and croup), together with those of the under wing- 
coverts and long axillary feathers, furnish us with what we 
have called the clue of the genus. For example, the Vumenius 
arquata of Europe is distinguished by its head, not parted by 
the central line, its large size, long arched bill, white rump, 
white under wing-coverts and axillary feathers: its American 
analogue, whose still Jonger bill has gained for it the name 
of longtrostris, has the croup of the same dark colour as the 
body, with the under wing-coverts, &c., rust coloured. The 
phceopus of Europe and Hudsonicus of North America, similar 
in colour and stature, and each ornamented with the medial 
coronal line, are in like manner distinguishable, the former by 
the white, the other by the dark-coloured croup; and by the 
under-coverts, in the European white banded with black, 
whilst in the American they are banded with black and rusty. 
The two smallest, the present American species and the J. 
tenuirostris of Europe, though less completely analogous, are 
nevertheless both destitute of the coronal line: the present has 
the rump dark, and the under wing-coverts banded with black 
and rusty; while the slender-billed has them pure white, 
as well as the rump and ground of the tail-feathers. The 
diminutive size of the Esquimaux curlew will certainly prevent 
its being confounded with the gigantic N. longirostris, espe- 
cially as its bill is remarkably short, and but little arcuated. 
The reader will here have already remarked, we are con- 
fident, the curious fact, that all the Huropean species of 
Numenius have white rumps and white under wing-coverts ; 
whilst the American all have the former uniform in colour 
