[190]. Numenius phæopus: The Whimbrel. (F. 1455), (J. 878), (+IV; about midway between the crow and the kite.)
This is a small edition of the curlew, but differs from it in having a white band along the middle of the head. Its curved bill is only a little over three inches long. It is less abundant than the curlew, and perhaps scarcely deserves a place among the common birds of India.
[191]. Limosa belgica: The Black-tailed Godwit. (F. 1456), (J. 875), (-V.)
A brown bird with white chin, throat, and abdomen, and some white in the wings. The base of the tail is white and the remainder black. The bill is about four inches long, and straight. The legs are long.
A winter visitor to India; common in the north and rare in the south.
Blanford states that it is often sold in the Calcutta bazaar as woodcock, but Finn states that this is not in accordance with his experience. (Illus. I. G. III., p. 409.)
The Sandpipers, 192-195
These birds constitute the “snippets” of Anglo-Indian, that is to say, birds that try to be snipe.
These are all greenish-brown birds with light under parts. They have fairly long bills, but not so long as that of any of the species of snipe. They are often seen feeding—a statement which cannot be made regarding the snipe. If you see a snipe-like bird feeding, you may be perfectly sure that it is not a snipe. It is a sandpiper of sorts, but it is not by any means easy to say which of the many sandpipers without shooting it. Descriptions of the common species of sandpiper follow:—
[192]. Totanus hypoleucus: The Common Sandpiper. (F. 1460), (J. 893), (+II, but with a very short tail, so that it actually measures less than a bulbul.)