THE WHIMBREL. 
411 
Genus NUMENIUS, Briss. 
751. NUMENIUS PH^OPUS. 
THE WHIMBREL. 
Scolopax phseopus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 243. Numenius phseopus, Jerd. B. 
Incl. ii. p. 684 ; Salvad. Ucc. Born. p. 333 ; Dresser, Birds Eur. viii. p. 227, pi. ; 
Hume, S. F. ii. p. 297, iii. p. 182 ; Bl. B. Burm. p. 15-5 ; Armstrong, S. F. iv. 
p. 341 ; David et Oust. Ois. Chine, p. 457 ; Hwne Sf Dav. S. F. vi. p. 460 ; Hume, 
S. F. viii. p. 112 ; Legcje, Birds Ceylon, p. 910; Oates, S. F. x. p. 240. 
Description. — Male mid female. Forehead, crown and nape brown ; a 
light streak over the centre o£ the crown ; a broad streak from the bill 
over the eye to the occiput whitish sparingly streaked with brown; chin 
and throat white ; sides of the head, sides and front of the neck and the 
whole breast white boldly streaked with brown; upper part of the abdo- 
men and the sides of the body white^ with arrowhead-shaped cross bars of 
brown ; remainder of the lower plumage white, some of the lateral under 
tail-coverts marked with brown ; back^ wing-coverts^ scapulars and terti- 
aries brown, each feather edged with paler brown ; rump pure white ; upper 
tail-coverts whitish barred with brown ; tail light brown cross-barred with 
dark brown ; quills dark brown, the inner webs barred with white ; shaft 
of first primary white, the others turning to brown. There is no seasonal 
change of plumage. 
Iris brown; bill dark brown, the basal half of lower mandible fleshy 
brown; legs and feet plumbeous. 
Length 17 inches, tail 4^ wing 9_, tarsus 2*3, bill from gape 3'8. 
The Whimbrel is sparingly distributed along the whole sea-coast line of 
British Burmah in the winter months. I procured it near the mouth of 
the Sittang river^ Dr. Armstrong in the Irrawaddy Delta, and Captain 
Feilden at Thayetmyo. Mr. Davison observed it in all parts of Tenasserim, 
and Mr. Blyth records it from Arrakan. 
It is found throughout Europe, Africa and the whole of Asia, extending 
through the Malay archipelago to the Philippines, Celebes, New Guinea 
and Australia. It is migratory^ retiring to northern regions to breed. 
The Whimbrel frequents the sea-coast in preference to other localities, 
but it is also found along the course of the larger rivers far inland. Mr. 
Davison mentions having seen this bird in the Tavoy river in July. 
