326 
allen’s Naturalist’s library. 
III. THE ESKLMO CURLEW. NUMENIUS BOREALIS. 
JVumentus borzalis. Lath. Ind. Orn. ii. p. 712 (1790); Dresser, 
B. Eur. viii. p. 221, pi. 575 (1873): E. O. U. List Brit. 
B. p. 178 (1883); Saunders, ed. Yarrell’s Brit. B. iii. 
p. 512 (1883); Seebohm, Hist. Brit. B. iii. p. 94 (1885); 
Saunders, Man. Brit. B. p. 615 (1889); Sharpe, Cat. b! 
Brit. Mus. xxiv. p. 368 (1896). 
Adult Male in Breeding Plumage. — May easily be distinguished 
by its smaller size from the two preceding species. It has a 
longitudinal pale band down the crown like the W’himbrel, but 
from this bird it is easily recognised by its uniform primaries, 
which have no pale notches on the inner web, but sometimes 
show slight indications of frecklings along the inner margin ; 
the lower back and rump dark like the upper back ; the lower 
throat and chest streaked with blackish, the latter having 
numerous sagittate markings, very distinct on the flanks ; the 
axillaries and under wing-coverts cinnamon-rufous, barred 
with dark brown ; bill brownish-black, the lower mandible 
flesh-colour at the base; feet greyish-blue, claws black; iris 
dark brown. Total length, 13-5 inches; culmen, 2-5; wing, 
8’6; tail, 3'2 ; tarsu.s, i'8. 
Adult Female in Breeding Plumage. — Similar to the male. Total 
length, 14 inches ; wing, 87. 
Young. Recognised by the spotted character of the upper 
surface, which is uniform brown, with scattered spots and 
notches of rufous-buff on the plumage, especially on the inner- 
most secondaries ; the streaks plentiful on the throat and neck ; 
the chest and breast W'ith irregular and sagittate markings of 
dusky-brown, which are also very distinct on the sides of the 
body. 
Eange in Great Britain. — The Eskimo Curlew has occurred as 
an accidental visitor in all three kingdoms, and the record 
of British-killed examples amounts to some half-a-dozen 
individuals. 
Eange outside the British Islands.— The Eskimo Curlew nests 
in Arctic America and migrates south in winter through South 
America, even to Patagonia. 
