NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 237 



of a common hen under similar circumstances, which cry they also utter when 

 pursued. 



Their food consists almost entirely of the Crow-herry, Empetrum nigrum,* 

 which grows on all the hill-sides in astonishing profusion. It is also called the 

 "Bear-berry" and "Curlew-berry." It is a small herry, of a deep purple 

 color, almost black, growing upon a procumbent, running kind of heath, the 

 foliage of which has a peculiar moss-like appearance. This is their principal 

 and favorite food ; and the whole intestine, the vent, legs, bill, throat, and 

 even the plumage are more or less stained with the deep purple juice. They 

 are also very fond of a species of small snail, that adheres to the rocks in im- 

 mense quantities, to procure which they frequent the land-washes at low tide. 

 Food being so abundant, and so easily obtained, they become excessively fat. 

 In this condition they are most delicious eating, being tender, juicy, and 

 finely flavored ; but as might be expected, they prove a very difficult job for 

 the taxidermist. 



Although the Curlews were in such vast numbers, I did not find them so tame 

 as might be expected, and as I had been led to suppose by previous represent- 

 ations. I was never able to walk openly within shooting distance of a flock, 

 though I was told it was often done. The most successful method of obtaining 

 them is to take such a position as they will probably fly over in passing from 

 one feeding ground to another ; they may then be shot with ease, as they 

 rarely fly high at such times. The pertinacity with which they cling to cer- 

 tain feeding grounds, even when much molested, I saw strikingly illustrated 

 ou one occasion. The tide was rising and about to flood a muddy flat of per- 

 haps an acre in extent, where their favorite snails were in great quantities. 

 Although six or eight gunners were stationed on the spot, and kept up a con- 

 tinual round of firing upon the poor birds, they continued to fly distractedly 

 about over our heads, notwithstanding the numbers that every moment fell. 

 They seemed in terror lest they should lose their accustomed fare of snails that 

 day. On another occasion, when the birds had been so harassed for several 

 hours as to deprive them of all opportunity of feeding, great numbers of them 

 retired to a very small island, or rather a large pile of rocks, a few hundred 

 yards from the shore, covered with sea weed, and, of course, with snails. 

 Flock after flock alighted on it, till it was completely covered with the birds, 

 which there, in perfect safety, obtained their morning meal. 



I was told that the Curlews were never seen in Labrador, except for the 

 short period in the autumn. Such, however, I do not think to be the case, 

 particulary as Audubon, upon good authority, asserts to the contrary. It is 

 probable that the celerity and silence with which it passes northward during 

 the spring migration, causes it to be partially overlooked. Its migrations are 

 very extensive, but performed so quickly and silently that it is rarely seen south 

 of the New England States. It is found in Texas ; though as far as my know- 

 ledge extends, it does not breed much south of Hudson's Bay. In Labrador 

 it is known by its proper name, which, however, is invariably shortened into 

 "Clew." Further south it is called the "Dough-bird;" but this name is 

 also applied to other birds. In a great number of specimens I found consider- 

 able differences in size, in the color of the under parts, which varies from 

 creamy white to deep buff, and in the purity and extent of the white patch on 

 the throat. These differences, however, were not indicative of sex, nor even of 

 age, so far as I could ascertain. 



* " Empetrum, Tourn. Flowers polygamous, scattered and solitary in the axils of the 

 leaves, (inconspicuous) scaly bracted. Calyx of 3 spreading and somewhat petal-like 

 sepals. Stamens, 8. Style very Bhort ; stigma 6-9 rayed. Fruit, a beiry like drupe, 

 with 6-9 seed-like nutlets, each containing an erect anatropous seed, K. nigrum, L. 

 Procumbent and trailing ; leaves linear oblong, scattered ; fruit black." (Gray's Manual 

 of Botany, College Ed. p. 393.) 



1861.] 



