SHORE BIRDS 



264. Long-billed Curlew. 

 Numenius americanus. 



Range. — Breeds in the South Atlantic states 

 and northward in the interior to Manitoba and 

 British Columbia. 



This is the largest of the family of shore birds, 

 having a length of about 24 inches. Its plumage 

 is of a buffy color, much variegated above with 

 black and brown; the bill is strongly curved down- 

 ward and is from four to eight inches in length. 

 Their nests are located on the ground in meadows 





Grcenisli buff. 



or on the prairies, and three or four eggs are laid, 

 of a buff or greenisli buff color, covered with 

 numerous spots of brownish black. Eggs of the 

 common Curlew of Europe, have been very fre- 

 quently used as belonging to this species, but the 

 eggs of our species have a lighter and more 

 greenish ground, and the spots are smaller and 

 more numerous. Size, 2.50 x 1.80. 



C5^ 



Long'-billiil ('urlew. 



HiKisuiiiiui Curlew. 



265. HuDsoNiAN Curlew. Numenius hudsonicus. 



Range. — Whole of North America, breeding in the Arctic regions and win- 

 tering south of the United States. 



This species is smaller (length 

 17 inches), darker, more grayish 

 and has a shorter bill than the pre- 

 ceding species. It also has wliite 

 median and lateral stripes on the 

 top of the head. The nesting hab- 

 its are the same as those of the 

 Long-billed species; the three or 

 four eggs have a brownish bulf 

 ground color and are blotched with 

 blackish brown. Size 2.25 x 1.60. 

 Data. — McKenzie River, Arctic 

 America. Nest a pile of grass, 

 moss and weeds on an island in 

 the river. 



Brownish buf 



159 



