The Sanderling, called alfo Curwillet ahout Penfance in
Cornwal.
Numb. LXXIV.
IT weighs two Ounces. Its Length from the point of the Bill to the
end of the Claws is eight Inches and a half, to the end of the Tail
but eight Inches; its Breadth when the Wings are extended fixteen Inches;
it is rather long than round-bodied.
The Bill is ftreight, black, flender, an Inch long; the upper Mandible
a little longer than the nether ; the Tongue extended to the end of
the Bill ■ the Noilrils oblong; the Ears great; the Legs, Feet and Claws
black; and which is efpecially remarkable, it wants the back Toe; the
fore Toe disjoined from the very rife.
The Head is fmall, party-coloured, of cinereous brown and black; the
Neck, middle of the Back, the Shoulders and fcapular Feathers are of a
lovely brown Colour; in fome various, of black and white, and in others of
black and aih'colour; the Tail is of the fame Colour, with white Edges,
Each Wing hath twenty two Quill-Feathers; the four outmoft (excepting
the Shafts which are white) all of a dark Colour, almoft black; the
reft have their upper Halves, as far as they appear; above the fecond
Row, brown or dusky Colour, the lower white; howbeit thefe Colours do
not divide all the Feathers equally, but from the fifth the white is gradually
increafed, fo that in the twentieth it takes up almoft the whole
Feather. The next following after the tenth have alfo their Tips white;
the firft row of covert Feathers (next the Quills) have white Tips, which
when the Wing is fpread, make a long tranfverfe white Line, broader and
broader, by Degrees from the beginning; the Feathers near the Ridge of
the Wing, and on the outmoft Joynt, are all dusky; in the Cocks almoft
black, of the fame Colour with the middle of the Back; the Wings when
clofed reach as far, or further than the Tail itfelfi which is .ihort of about,
two Inches long, confifting of twelve Feathers.
The whole Belly, and under fide of the Wings, as white as Snow; in;
fome the Breaft is fpotted, or clouded with brown, in others no Spots; the
blind Guts are an Inch and half long ; the Stomach not very mufculous.
Thefe Birds live on the fandy Shores of the Sea; there is a great many of
them on the Sea Coafts of Cornwall.