666 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



rest of wing-coverts light sepia, notched and edged white and with 

 dark shafts. This plumage is acquired by complete moult June to 

 Jan. Summer. — The body-feathers (not all scapulars), tail, some 

 innermost secondaries and coverts, some median and lesser coverts 

 are moulted Feb. to May, but not rest of wings. Coloration as 

 winter. 



Nestling. — Similar to Curlew but crown with two broad sepia 

 bands extending from fore-part to nape and separated by a narrow 

 buff streak, remaining upper-parts and under-parts as Curlew 

 but buff of upper -parts lighter, under-parts greyish-white tinged 

 ^ream-buff. 



Juvenile. — Like adult but feathers of mantle and scapulars 

 sepia, notched at sides pinkish or warm buff (lower scapulars as 

 adult) ; feathers of back, rump and upper tail-coverts with faint 

 terminal brownish lines, soon abraded ; upper tail-coverts suffused 

 pink-buff ; under-parts as adult but sides of neck, fore-neck and 

 breast rather more narrowly and closely streaked ; tail and wing 

 as adult but innermost secondaries and coverts as scapulars ; wing- 

 coverts notched light buff, lesser coverts also edged same. 



First winter. — As adult winter and only to be distinguished by 

 faded buff notches to juvenile wing-coverts, least abraded on inner- 

 most median coverts. The juvenile body-feathers (not all scapulars), 

 some or all tail-feathers, some innermost secondaries and coverts, 

 some median and lesser coverts but not rest of wings, are moulted 

 Aug. to Feb. First summer. — As adult and only to be distinguished 

 by worn juvenile wing -co verts. Moult as in adult. 



Measurements and structure. — <J wing 232-250 mm., tail 

 87-99, tarsus 50-61, bill from feathers 76-86 (12 measured). 

 $ wing 243-265, bill 80-99. Primaries : 1st minute, 2nd longest, 

 3rd 4-7 mm. shorter, 4th 10-16 shorter, 5th 22-31 shorter, 6th 

 39-45 shorter. Longest inner secondary between 4th and 6th 

 primaries. Bill of moderate length and decurved, nasal groove 

 and groove in lower mandible extending about two -thirds length 

 of bill. Tarsus with the more or less regular scutes extending 

 proportionately further up than in Curlew and portion covered 

 with hexagonal scales proportionately less. Other structure as 

 in Curlew. 



Soft parts. — Bill dark horn, base of lower mandible flesh -pink ; 

 legs and feet greenish-grej^ ; iris dark brown. 



Characters and allied forms. — Numenius ph. variegaius (E. 

 Siberia and Japan) has back and rump heavily streaked and 

 barred olive-brown, axillaries more heavily barred and under wing- 

 coverts more plentifully streaked and barred ; N. ph. alboaxillaris 

 (E. Africa) with axillaries, under wing-coverts, under tail-coverts, 

 back and rump pure white has been described but requires further 

 confirmation as breeding haunts are unknown. Two broad sepia 

 bands down crown together with size and decurved bill distinguish 

 Whimbrel from Curlew and other British waders. 



