Genus NÜMENIUS, hath.
G e k . C h a u . B i l l long , slend er, in cu rv ed , s lig h t ly compri-saed, rounded torongb its whole
len g th , with the tip o f the u p p e r u iu u lib le p ro je c tin g b e y on d the lower o n e ; bard, and
semi-obtuse ; la te ra lly fu r row ed fo r th re e fourths o f its length. N o s tr il, basal, placed m
the lateral g ro o ve , linear, and covered ab ove b y a naked membrane. Lores, or space
b e tw e en the b ill and ey es, co v ered w ith feathers l e g s long, slender, naked above the
tarsal jo in t. F e e t fon r- to ed ; three before and one behind ; th e front ones connected at tJ,
base b y a la rg e membrane. Toes s h o r t ; the o u te r and tuner ones o f newly equal length ‘
hin d toe short, and articulated ab o v e th e plane of th e othrro, upon the tamts, its tip only
re s tin g u p on the g round . Clams short and blunt Front oi ■ tarsi partly s p n te lla ta i;
b a ck reticulated. F ro n t o f the toes scute Hated.
.COMMON CURLEW.
iN u ra e n iu s a r c u a ta , Tjxth.
lae G ran d C o u r l i s cendré.
S in c e the N o rth A m erican C urlew (JVumenm iongtmtmt W îj*.) has. been found to possess «»¿od specific
differences, th e l'ange o f the p resen t species will be restricted to tlse w gions o f the O ld W orld ; and different
as th e climate« o f this ri&t fan ali m ust iwce«;w ily th e C om m on ¡Uiriew is ifiMHid eepially diffiised from the
sultry portion oi’ th e «uniti ro n e in the ¡amah ie* o f the.N ortfe : th e i&hmh o f tltó lM f ic O eean; parti- *
culariy New HdUimd, are po t de><oi«l'ctf ilA niwwsiai’t;'.. t«td H*e a)W iwfifteri erii* iVsm» ï »--• v i ' i
In its disposition the Common Curl«# ü &t<icense!y aittré ;»td ¡1 resoris to .n ■ ¿i'H ,1
situations that the greatest higetiuitv is reijui > od 6i> - j u j u « ; ; , i .• _ () t I * 1
except by the sportsman secrethug lànssdif f» i;ht* r.ciglr.ioui-hixul . c i - (| ft|
opportunity o f shooting it while Hying over the place of ¡.»is concealment,.
It is m igrato ry in its h a b its; a t least those which ri-equent th e tem p erate • • ■• ■- , » ) , I..
. w inter on th e sea-coast and the neighbouring m a rsh » , ami rcimi to the high lands ot Nor.rav and Sweden
■ d u rin g th e m onths o f sum m er, such situations being conducive to its security during the ;:e:,ir • of ¿icuSxitio i
F rom the circum stance o f a tew o f these birds being left on most o f our extensive moors and wild oneri
d istricts d u rin g th e hrcetling-.seafsoa it may be considered a »permanent resid ent in England, alth ough the
g re a te r num ber o f those which w inter ori p u r sh ores d o certainly retiré northw iinis to the Western Orkiiev ■
an d Shetland-Islands, w hence j>rol»itfy m*ìuét; o f them cross the Channel to N orw ay and Sweden. The Com
m on C urici* 'possesses cxtrao-idinaTj; po-js ^rs «è* ffigfrt, and is conseqiienclv enabled easilv to whss f- ».'
shores o f tìk ^ a ^ a t every tide, jiivriiiifeiiyi vriids lichfe. sttonteHW*, .V . tu d '■■ ow e jH • • .
retu rn again to th e coa&i alm ost at ¡.lie ; »■■•: .¡j; rumur-'iLir-'ii:-!- T c!»»» » it« » Yi
receding waves, a n d feeds u w n sw:h - raaritw-wuftnv* w -tfc rc it • V- w Uà t "
refrain from h ere ihsereing an in-teresting dote m- the M « t« & Mi, »:;vi ó r s » W w . 1 miis.e . » .
copied frota his edition o f ilfib o r/s Antwndean O roitbriogy.,
T h e C om m on C urlew , " N a m 'm u t umurnn, during* |) r i|Ì È .
upland m oors àn d sheeivpastures, and in the soft an d don»« MKrfttìratw cl vì-<v . . :
th e ir early solitude which adds to their wildness. A t first ftvwa,. when «c-skiair .«*»» v im » feU m im dc'î I ;'[
o f rich and g reen p asture, risin g on e beyond another»: w ith ptt mri»^ bp| i:v:;x-n looking
m ore boundless by th e shadow and m ists o f toon), a long mfîüwf g ,iseìb<W M m steeov nace on
their-w ell-beaten tra c k to soum« ^ to o rite feedSito^mmi'd. th é sbri&; vreiriii!.. ^ j ¡..j t'urj<»« p u
has.som ething in it wild noil 31 .ilivn :l ily, y ft .hv.iy:. pieusing m lk l ,!.-,wri.-! .» w e b Htn. Kins lo
build, making- alm ost no M X , aw l, (taring tlie.em m aeiicenieul; »it jf*;,i,- , e«u*[<ulki,igl iooi
grass and rushes, the uinlc rta b ', »b-iil ‘.idling ^nini!, o r dc.-.cw.r i i , |;j| h\- .•, l -,
o tterin g his peculiar quavering «bissi*. T h e «j-iproach <« ...i h - ■ ■».•-,• n n -
pow ers, an d he approach es uear, bufTcting an d trAuttpitig vrid- ;ï-V;. if» might« WliVn db» you*!«- -ir<- '-vy-1«.
at this tim e they are ten d er and welUflavonrèd., i-»y autum n thov a re n rariv all flisn-r v i . s,
and have now lost th eir clear w histle.” %
T lie seres are alike in plumage, and their t e h is by many considered iw a great, delicacy i‘w Pic ¡•¡bit:.
Bill blackish brow n for h alf its len gth from th e tip , th e re s t bèiìig fleshy »«»bite; k - iii mH :. a n d « » p er
surface lig ht grey, the centra o f each leath er bring d ark brow n ; rum p w h ite: ' » 1 i:». ' :i. bai'rcd iviri.
th ro at, neck, a n d ch est yeHowish w hite thickly strip ed w ith Ohye tninsn ; r » t th e wirier surilw e white
le g so n d feet bluish lead c o lo u r; ¡ridés d ark brown,