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S C H (E TpCLU Sf gJJ B A R QU ATU S.
Curlew Sandpiper,
Scolopax subarquata,
Tringa subarquata, Temm. Mari, $’©m., torn. ii. p. 609.
£0dna subarquata, Steph. ^M ^ offStiaw^sMg ^ Zool:.' v^-xii.;p.’ 96. *
Pygmy Curlew, of British" Ornithologists^
Schceniclus subarquatus, List of Birds in Brit. Mus. Coll., part iii. g> 105.
S om e few species o f Austral^^^rdsl aget ppecisely, identical with those of India and Europe, and the
present; nmpbe quoted as a cas'^i^^®|^£ffor' I f in f f i f difference between this bird and the Pygmy Curlew
o f England; its distribution over the shores o f Australia appears to be universal, but at the same time it
is very thinly dispersed; and there seem to beMri localities imwhich it can be looked for and found with
certainty a t any stated t i i ie . Like the rest o f the Sandpipers, it resorts to the shingly beach of the sea-
ifipre and the banks o f estuari% and rivers. The change f r g p r 111 grey to the red livery, which rrenders
this bird so conspicuous in the summer season, takes place in Australia at precisely the opppsite period of
the year to that in whichl||l#cg^||ip Ep.rope. •
•' Of, the three specimens in my-e^neetion, one was killed on Bottnest Island, another on the main-land of
Western Australia, and tj^eltb^^^t Port Macquarriprin New South Wales.
In summer the upper surface^isadorned with a mottled plumage o f black and deep rufous, arranged in the
form o f bars on the scapularies; 'wiegs dark'greyish brown; upper t iilr lff lr t s white; tail grey; barred
^^W aptv an d^ rufous; head mottled b l a c k ' a B the under/surface deep rufous; bill and legs
black, slightly tinged. With olive ; irides dark
In winter the ru m p is w h ite , the remainder o f the upper surface greyish brown; under surface white,
except the chest, wbich is slightly tinged with grey.
Between these two states every variety of cofempg occurs during^Jhe vernal and autumnal months.
Young birds differ frqm both in having the upper surface dark brgp^e ach feather fringed with grey,
and a wash o f brown acres,s the chest.
The figures represent the bird/ irS^winter andj|ummer plumage, o f the natural size.