yjehraska Oniitliologists' Union 35 



As to the destruction in Massachusetts. Forbush'" says: The 

 decrease of tlie Dough-birds in .Massachusetts during the last cen- 

 tury may be explained in part by the continual persecution they 

 stiffered here. The arrival of these birds was the signal for every 

 gunner and market hunter on the coast to get to work. The 

 birds were rarely given any rest. Nearly all that remained on our 

 shores were shot, and only those that kejjt moving had any chance 

 for their lives. As a consequence of this continual persecution, 

 the birds probably learned to avoid the New England coast ; and 

 most of those that were driven to land by storms left the moment 

 the weathei' was favorable for a continuance of their flight. 

 Often they came in at night and went in the morning." 



In Texas the Eskimo Curlew came in immense flocks on the 

 prairies from 1856 to 1X75, after which }car the large flocks dis- 

 appeared^^'. Small flocks were seen in 1S(S6 and 1890"^ The 

 last records of the si)ecies for Texas were 1902 and 1905. one and 

 three individuals respectively^". The species was first definitely 

 recorded for Kansas from Russell county in 1874'"'. In that state 

 these curlews were abundant as late as 1878, but in 1879 their 

 numbers were much reduced and the birds decreased rapidly'". 

 There were still a few in the Kansas markets in the early 90's. 

 The last record is for 1902'". 



Eastwardly in the interior the birds were always uncommon 

 and disappeared early. The last Michigan record is in ISSS"''. 

 The last Ohio record is in 1878'". The last Wisconsin records 

 are April 27. 1899"'-, and September 10. 1912, the latter speci- 

 mens a male taken at Fox Lake. Dodge County, Wisconsin'*^. 

 The last Indiana record is, with some doubt, April 19, 1890"'^. 



We have no definite records of the Eskimo Curlew in Nebraska 

 during the territorial days, aside from the recollections of the 

 few survivors among our earliest settlers of enormous flights of 

 'TVairie Pigeons"' which passed through the territory each 

 spring. As to the abundance of these birds in Nebraska during 



"Benson, F. S. i-'orest and Stream, ii. p. 341, 1874. 

 "Barrows, W. B. Birds of Michigan. 



"Sclu)enl)eck. A. J. Birds of Oconto County, pp. 1-31, 1902. 

 ".•^nvder, W. E. Auk, xxx, pp. 209-370. 1913. 

 ''Butler, .'^% W. Auk. xxiii, p. 274, 1906. 



