PIGMY CURLEW. 



379 



PIET. — A name for the Dipper and for the Magpie. 



PIGEONS *(Columbidce, Leach.) — A family of scratching birds 



(Basores, Illiger.)* 



PIGEON-HAWK.— A name for the Sparrow-hawk. 



PIGMY CURLEW (Tringa subarquata, Temminck.) 



Becasseau cocorli, Temm. Man. d'Orn. 2. p. 609. — Scolopax Africana, Gmel. Syst. 

 J, p. 655. sp. 19. — Numenius Africanus, Lath. Ind. Orn. 2. p. 712. sp. 10. — 

 Cape Curlew, Lath. Syn. 5. p. 126. — L'Aloutte de mer, Buff. Ois. pi. Enl. 851. 

 — Numenius Pygmaeus, Bechst. Naturg. Deut. 4. p. 148. n. 5. — Naum. Vog. 



Deut. t. 22. f. 28 Meyer, Vog. Deut. 2. t. f. 2.— Scolapax subarquata, Gmel. 



Syst. 1. p. 658. sp. 25. — Numenius subarquata Bechst. Naturg. Deut. 4. p. 133. 

 3. t. 6. — lb. Tasschenb. Deut. 2. p. 276. n. 3. — Red Sandpiper, Penn. Arct. 



Zool. 2. p. 476. n. 392 Lath. Syn. 5. p. 186.— Rothbauchiger Brachvogel, 



Meyer, Tasschenb. Deut. 2. p. 356.— Naum. t. 20. f. 27.— Meyer, Vog. Deut. 

 2. t. f. 1. — Pigmy Sandpiper, and Pigmy Curlew, Mont. Orn. Diet, and Supp. 

 —Flem. Br. Anim. p. 108. 



The length of this species is about eight inches and a half ; breadth 

 fifteen and a half ; weight two ounces ; bill an inch and a half long, 

 and bent ; legs black, and bare of feathers for half an inch above the 

 knee ; irides brown ; the face white, over the eyes and throat, with 

 brown spots ; crown of the head black, the edges of the feathers red ; 

 nape also red with black streaks ; the back black, the edges of the 

 feathers dotted with angular red spots, beneath reddish brown, more or 

 less marked with dark spots mixed with white ; quills with pale mar- 

 gins on the inner webs ; the tail cuneiform, dusky grey, bordered 

 with white ; upper and under coverts white, mixed with black and 

 red bars. 



As usual with others of the same family, much confusion exists 

 respecting this species. That in Colonel Montagu's museum appeared 

 to be an adult in moult, obtained at that season when part of its sum- 

 mer plumage yet remained, which enabled him to form a pretty correct 

 idea of its plumage during the breeding season ; another, in his posses- 

 sion, described in the first edition, was evidently young, having the 

 white margins on the feathers upon the back, scapulars, and coverts of 

 the wings. 



Another specimen, shot by Mr. Foljambe, on the 1st October, 1812, 

 is thus described by that gentleman : — " Length nine inches ; the bill 

 one inch and a half long, black and incurvated ; the crown and forehead 

 dusky, with a slight mixture of cinereous ; over the eye a whitish line ; 

 cheeks and back of the neck cinereous, with faint dusky streaks, the 

 feathers of the back and scapulars olive brown, mixed with dusky, with 

 broader margins of the same yellow; quills black; chin and throat 

 white; breast pale cream colour; belly, sides, vent, rump, and tail 



