1ST CURLEW.
These birds vary very considerably in size, as well as in shades of
their plumage. Male; weight, twenty to twenty-two ounces, and
upwards; length, one foot nine inches. Bill, dark brown, except the
inner part of the lower one, which is paler, shading into yellowish
red. It varies considerably in length—to six or seven inches. Iris,
dark brown. Head, crown, neck on the back, and nape, pale yellowish
grey brown, each feather streaked longitudinally with darker,
the dark mark widest at the base; chin, white; throat, pale yellowish
Cream grey brown, streaked longitudinally with darker brown; breast
above, yellowish brown; below, white, with spot-like streaks of dark
brown. Back above, light dusky brownish black, slightly glossed
with purple, with pale brown or greyish or yellowish white edges
to the feathers; the lower part, white, with the shafts of the feathers
forming marked streaks.
The wings have the first quill feather the longest; the axillary
feathers are barred, and sometimes clouded with brown. Greater wing
coverts, black; lesser wing coverts, blackish brown, with almost white
edges, and running into bars on the inner webs. The first five primaries,
brownish black, glossed with purple, and with white shafts.
The outer webs much darker than the inner ones, which are barred
half across with white. Secondaries and tertiaries, blackish brown in
(he centre, and crossed transversely on the edges with dark and light
brown. Tail, ' b a r r y ' of dark brown and dull yellowish white, the edges
of the bars irregular, and often clouded and tinted with reddish white.
Upper tail coverts, white, with a narrowed streak of dark brown
towards the end; under tail coverts, white, with an occasional dusky
streak. Legs and toes, pale bluish grey, or greenish lead-colour; the
hitler have a membranous edging on each side down to the claws.
Female; weight, in some specimens as much as thirty-seven ounces.
Length, from two feet one to two feet two inches.
The young are at first covered with yellowish white down varied
witli spots and patches of brown.