"'Curlews and whimbrels have a general similarity, and both have two wings; yet to any but the most superficial observer there is an evident difference.'
"'There is the difference of size, eye-stripe, and voice.'
"'...The accustomed eye... at once distinguishes the equivalent of eye-stripes, wing-bars, and semi-palmated feet.'
"'Perhaps I shall come to it in time... But there are also luggers, bean-cods and herring-busses.'" --Patrick O'Brian, The Letter of Marque, 70
A small European merchant ship with two masts, used in the Netherlands for coast and canal traffic. Sometimes seen in the North Sea but more frequently in the Mediterranean Sea.
"'So that is a schooner,' said Martin... 'How can you tell?'
"'It has two masts...'
"'But brigs, ketches, bilanders, galliots, and doggers also have two masts. What is the difference?'
"'Curlews and whimbrels have a general similarity, and both have two wings; yet to any but the most superficial observer there is an evident difference.'
"'There is the difference of size, eye-stripe, and voice.'
"'...The accustomed eye... at once distinguishes the equivalent of eye-stripes, wing-bars, and semi-palmated feet.'
"'Perhaps I shall come to it in time... But there are also luggers, bean-cods and herring-busses.'"
--Patrick O'Brian, The Letter of Marque, 70
A small European merchant ship with two masts, used in the Netherlands for coast and canal traffic. Sometimes seen in the North Sea but more frequently in the Mediterranean Sea.