SCOLOPACIDiE — THE SNIPE FAMILY — NUMENIUS. 317 



appearance in the salt-marslies of that island in August. It is said sometimes to 

 frequent the uph\nds, where it feeds on insects and berries of various kinds, becoming 

 very fat, altliough even then its flesh is not well-flavored. The flight of the Hudson- 

 ian Curlew is described as being easy and steady ; and it readily obeys the fowler's 

 whistle, generally presenting an excellent mark. This species is remarkable for the 

 manner in which it sympathizes with its wounded companions — a trait also conspic- 

 uously displayed by the Long-billed Curlew. Straggling individuals of this species 

 are occasionally observed to linger behind until the early part of jSTovember, but in 

 general all have left by the middle of October. They are knoAvn to the gunners of 

 Long Island both as the " Short-billed *' and as the "Jack " Curlew. 



According to Dresser, this species is of occasional occurrence in Southern Texas 

 both in spring and fall ; and he procured two specimens which had l)een shot near 

 San Antonio. It is the least common there of the CurlcAvs. 



Hearne, in his " Journey to the Arctic Ocean " — a work puldished more than a 

 century ago — (p. 424), designates this species as the " Esquimaux Curlew " — a name 

 now given exclusively to the smaller bird, iV". horealis. He states that at the time of 

 his writing both species Avere found in great numbers on the coasts of Hudson's Bay 

 during the summer, and that they both breed in all parts of it, as far north as lati- 

 tude 72°. This bird always keeps near the sea-coast, awaiting the ebbing of the tides, 

 and being frequently found in great numbers at low-water mark, where it feeds on 

 the marine insects which are found in great abundance by the sides of the stones. At 

 high-water it retires to the dry ridges, and awaits the receding of the tide. This bird 

 will answer to a whistle imitating its note. It flies as steadily as a Woodcock, and 

 as it rests long on the Aving, presents itself as a mark which can be easily hit. Hearne 

 adds that, at times, this CurlcAv is regarded as delicious eating. 



Audubon did not observe this species in Labrador, and although he made diligent 

 inquiries among intelligent residents, could find no one who knew of its occurrence 

 there. Nevertheless others have met with and secured specimens of a few individ- 

 uals of this species in that region. This bird is usually very shy, and it is seen in 

 the greatest numbers at the time of the departure of the borealis, which species it 

 greatly resembles in its general appearance, habits, and manner of feeding, although 

 having a much louder and harsher voice. 



Wilson, although he refers to this species in his description of Scolopax horealis, 

 was not aware of the existence of two species of Short-billed CurlcAvs, and it is im- 

 possible to determine Avhich one he had in view in his accounts of its habits. It is 

 probable, however, that Avhile his description of the plumage belongs to the larger 

 species, it is the smaller one to Avhich his account of the habits of the Curlew is to be 

 referred. The same is also true of ISTuttall's statements, we believing that this spe- 

 cies is more exclusively a feeder in the salt-marshes, and that it rarely, if ever, feeds 

 on the uplands in the manner of the horealis. Nuttall states that, previous to its 

 departure south in the fall, this species will assemble in large flocks near the sea- 

 beach ; and he was informed by a friend that it had been seen in an island in the 

 Fiscataqua Eiver in a dense flock of many thousands, thickly covering several acres 

 of ground. Barren birds of this species are found on the Atlantic coast from May 

 to August, but are usually of solitary habit. Audubon states that he has found this 

 bird abundant on the shores of New Jersey in May, where it remains a few weeks, 

 and that he has seen a large flock of these CurleAVs near Charleston, S. C, in 

 December. 



Mr. MacFarlane met Avith this species breeding on the Barren Grounds, on what 

 is known as the Eskimo Barrens, on the Lower Anderson Eiver. The nests were on 



