BIRDS HUNTED FOR FOOD OR SPORT. 



325 



LONG-BILLED CURLEW (Numcnius americanus). 

 Common or local names: Sicklebill Curlew; Sicklebill; Old-hen Curlew; Hen Curlew. 



Length. — 20 to 25 inches; bill from 3 (in some young birds) to 8, but com- 

 monly 5 to 6; toes webbed at base. 



Adult. — Plumage similar to that of Marbled Godwit; generally reddish in 

 tone, varying in intensity in individuals; top of head dark, and variegated 

 with blackish, whitish and reddish, with no distinct central light line, as in 

 the Hudsonian or Jack Curlew; upper parts a mixture of brownish 

 black, tawny or buflPy and cinnamon brown; lower parts reddish, cin- 

 namon or buffy, varying in intensity, usually deepening under wings; 

 fore neck and breast with dusky streaks which tend to arrowheads on 

 the sides, iris brown; bill black turning to fleshy brown toward base; 

 legs and feet grayish blue. 



Young. — Similar to adult, but bill shorter. 



Field Marks. — The great size and the extremely long curved bill serve to 

 identify the adults. The young, which have shorter bills, can be dis- 

 tinguished with certainty from the Jack Curlew when in the hand by 

 the smaller size of the latter, its striped head and the comparatively 

 rufous and unmarked wing linings and axillars of the Sicklebill. (See 

 Fig. 17.) 



Note. — A "loud scream" (Maynard). 



Season. — Now a very rare or accidental migrant, formerly more common; 

 usually August and September. 



