270 
THE CURLEW SANDPIPER. 
Bill longer than the head, slender, subcylindrical, flexible, very slightly 
decurved, compressed at the base, the point obtuse. Upper mandible with 
the dorsal line at first slightly sloping, then nearly straight, and towards 
the end slightly decurved, the ridge convex but narrow, the sides sloping, 
the edges rather blunt -and soft. Nasal groove extending to near the tip ; 
nostrils basal, linear, pervious. Lower mandible with the angle long and 
very narrow, the dorsal line straight, the sides nearly erect, with a long 
narrow groove, the tip tapei'ing but rounded. 
Head of moderate size, oblong, compressed. Eyes of moderate size. 
Neck of moderate length, rather slender. Body rather slender. Feet ra- 
ther long, slender ; tibia bare about a third of its length ; tarsus compressed, 
anteriorly and posteriorly covered with numerous scutella ; hind toe very 
small ; the rest of moderate length, slender, the fourth a little longer than 
the second, the third longest, all free, scutellate above, flat beneath, slightly 
marginate ; claws small, slightly arched, compressed, acute, that of third 
toe largest, with the inner edge slightly dilated. 
Plumage very soft, blended beneath, slightly distinct above. Wings long 
and pointed ; primaries tapering, obtuse, the first longest, the second 
scarcely shorter, the rest rapidly graduated ; outer secondaries short, in- 
curved, obliquely truncate, the inner web extending beyond the outer ; the 
inner secondaries elongated, tapering. Tail rather short, slightly rounded, 
of twelve rounded feathers, the two middle a little longer. 
Bill dark olive-green, dusky towards the point. Iris hazel. Feet light 
olive, claws dusky. The head, neck and breast are bright yellowish-red, 
the sides whitish, the lower tail-coverts white, with a brownish-black spot 
towards the end. The central parts of the feathers on the upper part of the 
head are dark brown, and there are slight streaks of the same on the hind 
neck and sides of the breast. The upper parts are mottled with brownish- 
black and dull red, the rump pale brownish-grey, as are the smaller wing- 
coverts. Quills greyish-brown, the primaries dark, the outer secondaries 
light and tipped with white, the inner darker and glossed with green. 
Upper tail-coverts white, spotted with brown and red ; tail pale brownish- 
grey, glossed with green. 
Length to end of tail 8f inches, to end of wings 9 T % ; extent of wings 
16 ; wing from flexure 5 ; tail 2 T %- ; bill along the back lh, along the edge 
of lower mandible lfV ; bare parts of tibia \ ; tarsus 1 T V, middle toe 1, its 
claw T \. Weight 2^ oz. 
Adult Female. 
The bill, iris, and feet as in the adult. On the upper parts the feathers are 
brown, edged with darker, and margined with greyish-yellow ; the lore, 
cheeks and sides of the neck and body are greyish-yellow, with dusky lines ; , 
