WATER BIRDS. 207 



diountecl specimen in the collection of the Michigan Agricultural College, 

 obtained from Mr. Peter Lepp, Saginaw, Mich., which he says was taken 

 in the fall of 1896, just outside Saginaw City. It was "leading a flock of 

 Golden Plover" and the only bird of the kind in the flock. We have a 

 second specimen taken by Albert Hirzel, at Forestville, Sanilac county, 

 April 23, 1906. There is also a mounted specimen (No. 20261) in the 

 Kent Scientific Museum, Grand Rapids, marked as local, but without other 

 data. 



In Indiana, according to Butler, it is much rarer than the Long-billed 

 Curlew. In Wisconsin, according to Kumlien and Hollister, "it has 

 certainly been decidedly rare during the past thirty years, even in migra- 

 tions, and we have not seen a single specimen for twelve years " (Birds of 

 Wisconsin, 1903, 52). 



The species nests only in the far north, and its eggs are pale olive, spotted 

 with brown, and average 2.27 by 1.57 inches. 



TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 



Adult: Top of head brownish black, with a median stripe of buffy or grayish white; 

 a similar but broader light stripe from bill over eye to nape, bounded below by a dusky 

 loral and post-ocular stripe; chin and upper throat white or whitish, without markings; 

 rest of throat, neck and breast grayish or buffy^white thickly streaked with brownish 

 black, the sides, flanks and under tail-coverts barred with the same; belly mostly imspotted; 

 back and scapulars brownish black, spotted with buffy white, the wing-coverts similar but 

 the lighter color predominating; primaries sharply barred on inner webs with buffy white 

 and dusky; the axillaries buffy or cinnamon, sharply barred with blackish; upper mandible 

 brown, lower mandible yellowish, especially toward base. Sexes alike, and seasonal changes 

 slight; young of year hardly different from adults. Length 16.50 to 18 inches; wing 9 to 

 10.25; culmen 3 to 4; tarsus 2.25 to 2.30. 



113. Eskimo Curlew. Numenius borealis (Forst.). (266) 



Synonyms: Little Curlew. — Scolopax borealis, Forst., 1772. — Nmnenius brevirostris, 

 Licht., 1823.^ — Nimienius borealis, Lath., 1790, and authors generally. 



Known by its close resemblance to the Hudsonian Curlew, but the 

 strongly decurved bill is still shorter, averaging only 2j inches; the general 

 tone of the plumage is also more reddish. 



Distribution. — Eastern North America, breeding in the Arctic regions, 

 and migrating south throughout South America. 



Formerly this curlew was more abundant and better known than either 

 of the others. It appeared in large flocks during migration, and frequented 

 dry fields and such situations as are preferred by Golden Plover. It was 

 much hunted for its flesh, which was considered superior to that of the other 

 curlews. Up to about 1890 it probably occurred with more or less regularity 

 both spring and fall, and there are several well attested records of its capture. 

 According to Gibbs (MS. List) B. F. Syke secured a female on the north 

 marsh at Kalamazoo, October 28, 1879. It was the only one seen. In 

 a letter to Dr. Gibbs the late W. H. Collins of Detroit said "It is quite 

 common in Detroit markets spring and fall. Two specimens taken at St. 

 Clair Flats in the spring of 1883; have had a number." 



In northeastern Lal:)rador, where this species formerly collected in 

 immense numbers in the late summer and early fall, they almost totally 

 disappeared in 1894, and have been very rare ever since. Up to 1894, 

 they had remained in large numbers in spite of the persecution to wliich 

 they were subjected (Bigelow, Auk, XIX, 1902, 29). At present the 

 species seems to be on the verge of extinction, possibly the last one has 



