416 GAME BIRDS, WILD-FOWL AND SHORE BIRDS. 



This extract seems to indicate that Dr. Elhot looks upon 

 it as probable that man had much to do with the extinction 

 of this species. Positive proof of this, however, always will be 

 wanting, for the early history of the bird is unknown; but it 

 seems very probable that the extinction of the species was 

 due to the advent of the white man in North America. 



The last Labrador Duck of which we have record died by 

 the hand of man near Long Island, New York, in 1875; and, 

 according to Dutcher's excellent summary, there are but 

 forty-two preserved specimens recorded as still existing in 

 the museums and collections of the world. ^ 



Very little is known about the habits of this bird. Giraud 

 says that it feeds on shell-fish, and Audubon says that a bird- 

 stuffer at Camden had many fine specimens which he said 

 were taken by baiting hooks with the common mussel. The 

 name Sand Shoal Duck indicates that the bird was partial to 

 such shoals, and was found feeding in the shallow water near 

 them. 



ESKIMO CURLEW (Numenius borealis) . 

 Common name: Doe-bird; Dough-bird. 



Length. — 12 to 14.50 inches; bill, about 2.10. 



Adult. — General ground color, warm buff; upper parts streaked and mot- 

 tled with very dark brown or dusky, so much so that the back often 

 appears blackish; head and neck streaked, rather than mottled. The 

 effect of the distribution of the markings gives the sides of the head 

 and neck, and particularly the under parts, a much lighter appearance 

 than the back; the top of the head, however, is darker, and there is 

 a rather light line over the eye; no whitish stripe in center of crown. 

 Primaries or flight feathers plain, not spotted or barred; tail barred 

 with dusky brownish black; bill black; base of lower mandible pale 

 or yellowish; legs grayish blue. 



Notes. — A soft, melodious whistle, bee, bee; a squeak like that of Wilson's 

 Tern, but finer (Mackay); and a low, conversational chatter (Coues). 



Season. — August to November. 



Range. — Eastern North America and South America, breeding on the 

 Barren Grounds of northwestern Canada; wintering in Argentina and 

 Patagonia. 



> Dutcher, William: Auk, 1894, p. 176. 



