CURLEW.
? Much like " arquatus "'but smaller ; crown pale brown streaked dark brown, lower back, rump, and upper tail coverts white, last with a few brown streaks ; axillaries white ; large brownish black pear-shaped spots on sides of breast. Bill brown, flesh coloured below at base. Legs and feet leaden-grey. Wing 250-258. Tarsus 64-69. Bill 75-89. ? generally the larger (H.).
Breeds.—W. Siberia. Winters in Mediterranean Basin west to Spain, south to Khartoum. Rare in Central Europe. Has occurred west to Holland, Belgium, France, and England.
Numenius phmopus phaeopus L. WHIMBREL. Ger. Regen-brachvogel ; Ital. Chiurletto ; Swed. Smaspofv.
? Smaller than "arquatus" ; crown not streaked, but dark brown with central buff stripe ; eyebrow broad, white with fine brown streaks ; axillaries white, barred brown. Bill black, pale brown below at base. Legs and feet bluish grey. Wing 235-256. Tarsus 57-62. Bill 70-88. ? usually the larger.
Breeds. —Iceland, Faroes, Shetlands, Scandinavia, Lapland, Finland, N. Russia south to Perm ; also W. Siberia. Winters
in Africa and S. Asia. Has occurred occasionally Jan Mayen, often S. Greenland, irregular Azores, Madeira, and Canaries. Some birds remain the year round in winter quarters, but have not been known to breed there.
Numenius hudsonicus Latham.
Resembles " phmopus" but no white on lower back, rump, or upper tail coverts, axillaries barred rufous and brown, inner webs of primaries barred white. Wing 231-257, ? 240-267 (Ridgway).
An American species ; very rare in Europe, reported from S. Spain and Iceland.
Numenius borealis (Forster). ESKIMO CURLEW.
Resembles "hudsonicus" but no white bars on inner webs of primaries ; under wing coverts and axillaries pale rufous barred dark brown. Wing 210-215. Bill 50-58. Tarsus 43-47 (H.).
An American species ; also very rare in Europe, recorded as occurring about eight times in British Isles. Appears to be almost, if not quite, extinct.