YtnpîaJa
( H )
The Curlew. Arquata.
Numb. LXXIX.
ITS Length from the tip of the Bill to the end of the Claw? is twenty
nine Inches, to the end of the Tail twenty three and half; breadtH
when the Wings are extended, forty Inches. The Male is fomewhat lefs’
and commonly call’d, The Jack Curlew. The middle parts of the Feathers
of the Head, Neck and Back are black; the Borders or Edges in the Breaft
white ; in the Throat whitiih with a tindure of red; the Rump and Belly
white; the Feathers inverting the under fide of the Wing are all white-
the firft Row or outmoft Quill-Feathers are all over black; the reft fpotted
with white: The firft Feather of the fécond Row is all black; the tips
of the eight or nine next are white. This Bird hath a fmall iharp-
pointed black Feather at the end of the Wing, which whether or no it
is to be reckon’d among the Quill-Feathers one may juftly doubt. Its
Bill is fix Inches long, narrow, bowed of a dark brown or black Colour*
its Tongue iharp and very ihort, extending not farther than the Angle of
the lower Chap; the Noftrils long; the Legs long, of a duiky blue Colour,
bare of Feathers half up the fécond Joint : "The Claws are fmall
and black, that of the middle Toe thinned into an Edge on the infide • all
the Toes are conneded by a thick Membrane from the Divarication to the
firft Joint. It hath a great Gall-Bladder, with a long Neck extending to the
Gut, which concurs not in one common Partage with the Gall-pore, but
enters the Gut at a diftind Hole, tho’ near to that.
It hath a muiculous Stomach or Gizzard like granivorous Birds; in
the Stomach of one was found P err twinkle Shells, fmall Stones and Grit
&c. In another Frogs, &*c. The fingle blind Gut is very long; the common
blind Gut three or four Inches long and full of Excrements; above
the Stomach the Gullet is dilated into a Bag, granulated within with thick
fet papillary Grandulets.
This Bird for the Goodnefs and delicate Tafte of its Fleih may juftly challenge
the principal place among Water-Fowl : Of this our Fowlers are
not ignorant and therefore fell them dear. It is a Sea-Fowl, feeking its
Food on the Sands and Ouze and in Salt-Marlhes: It is found on theSea-
Coafts on all fides of England.