44 
THE IIUDSONTAlSr CURLEW. 
Head rather small, oblong, compressed. Neck rather long, slender. Body 
rather full. Feet of moderate length, slender. Tibia bare a considerable 
way above the joint ; tarsus with numerous anterior scutella, excepting in its 
upper fourth, where, and on the sides, it is reticulated. Toes small, scutel- 
late above ; first very small, second and fourth about equal, third consider- 
ably longer ; the anterior toes marginate, and connected at the base by short 
webs, of which the outer is larger. Claws small, compressed, obtuse, that of 
middle toe much larger, curved outwards, with a sharp dilated inner edge. 
Plumage soft and blended, on the fore part of the head very short ; the 
feathers in general small, oblong or ovate, and rounded. Wings rather long, 
very acute, narrow, the primaries tapering, the first longest, the second a 
little shorter, the rest regularly and rapidly graduated ; secondaries short, 
incurved, rounded, excepting some of the inner, which are greatly elongated 
and tapering. Tail short, rounded, of twelve I’ounded feathers. 
Bill brownish-black, the basal half of lower mandible flesh-colour. Iris 
dark brown. Feet greyish-blue, claws black. The upper part of the head 
is deep brown, with a central longitudinal line of white, and a broader lateral 
one of the same over each eye ; a brown line from the bill to the eye, and 
another extending behind the latter. The neck all round is pale yellowish- 
grey, longitudinally streaked with brown, excepting the chin or upper part 
of the throat, which is greyish-white. The upper parts in general are 
blackish-brown, marked with numerous spots of brownish-white, there being 
several along the margins of each feather ; the wings and rump are lighter, 
the upper tail-coverts and tail barred with brown, and yellowish-grey, the 
latter tipped with white. Primaries and their coverts brownish-black, the 
outer unspotted on their outer web ; all the transverse light markings on 
the inner ; the secondaries like the smaller coverts. Breast and abdomen 
greyish-white, the sides tinged with cream-colour, and barred with pale 
greyish brown ; the outer lower tail-coverts with a few brown marks. 
Length to end of tail 19 inches, to end of wings 18, to end of claws 21 ; 
wing from flexure 91; tail 4; extent of wings 33; bill along the back 41, 
along the edge of lower mandible 4i; tarsus 2 T 4 2 , middle toe lf^, its claw 
3 x f. Weight 1 lb. 11 oz. ' 
The Female resembles the male. 
The bill varies greatly in length : in a specimen now before me, it is 2ff, 
in another 2 T 9 2, while in the individual figured it was 41. 
Dimensions of a male : — From point of bill to end of tail 18 inches, to end 
of wing 18, to end of claws 1 9 T 2 ^ ; extent of wings 33; bill 3 X 7 2, along the 
edge of lower mandible 3 T 7 2 ; bare part of tibia 11 inches ; tarsus 21 inches, 
hind toe 5 twelfths, its claw 3 twelfths ; second toe l x |, its claw third 
