BIRDS OF MINNESOTA. 145 



■ with a somewhat metallic or bronzed lustre, and with numerous 

 longitudinal lines, and sagittate, lanceolate, and irregular spots 

 of brownish-black, having the same lustre; line over the eye 

 and entire under parts, white, with numerous circular and oval 

 spots of brownish black, smaller on the throat, largest on the 

 abdomen; quills brown, with a green lustre; primaries slightly- 

 tipped with white and having a white spot on their inner edges; 

 secondaries white at the base and tipped with white; middle 

 feathers of the tail same green as the other upper parts; outer 

 tipped with white, and with irregular bars of brownish-black; 

 bill yellowish-green, tipped with brown; feet reddish-yellow; 

 iris hazel. 



Length, 7.50 to 8; wing, 4.50; tail, 2; bill, 1; tarsus, 1. 



Habitat, North and South America. 



NUMENIUS LONGIROSTRIS (Wilson). (264.) 

 LONG-BILLED CURLEW. 



This widely distributed species is nowhere better represented 

 than in Minnesota,* or strictly speaking, in portions of it. 

 They reach this latitude variously from the 20th of March to 

 the first of May, usually about the 10th of April, and about the 

 middle of May they mostly move beyond the Big Woods (re- 

 ferred to previously), whence to the British possessions they 

 breed in different localities. 



The nests, which I have not personally seen, are said to be 

 in general scolopacine in character, never in communities, and 

 located near, but not on wet lands or marshes as a rule. Not 

 far from the 25th of May, they lay four eggs, "clay colored, 

 with more or less olivaceous in some instauces, and in others 

 decidedly buffy shade. The spotting is generally pretty uni- 

 formly distributed and of small pattern, though in many cases 

 there is larger blotching and even massing about the great end. 

 The color of the markings is sepia or umber, of different shades 

 in the buffy- tinged specimens, rather tending to chocolate. The 

 shell markings are commonly numerous and evident." (Coues.) 

 Early in August, the young have become strong enough for 

 flight, and small flocks of them begin to be seen in the sections 

 where the breeding has taken place. They gradually extend 

 their range southward with the advance of the season, until by 

 the first or second week in September, they have reached the 

 whole southern portions of the states, while continued acces- 



* The above was true when written, hut the Curlews of this species, once so common, 

 have become less so within the la?t decade, and now, having been driven back from 

 both coasts by civilization, are found in great numbers far inland on the dry plains, 

 where they are killed by scores and hundreds. 



