399 



NUMENIUS BOREALIS (Ridgw). 



THE ESKIMO CURLEW. 



Specific Character — Crown, dusky; streaked with buff, but without distinct 

 mesial stripe ; a dusky stripe of aggregated streaks on side of head, from bill to and 

 behind the eye; rest of head, neck, and entire lower parts, light buff; the cheeks, 

 and neck streaked, the breast, sides, flanks and crissum with V shaped markings 

 of dusky brown ; axillars and lining of the wing, pale cinnamon; the former nar- 

 rowly barred with dusky. Upper parts spotted dusky and buff; the wing coverts 

 more grayish brown, with dusky shaft streaks ; primaries, including their inner 

 Webs, plain brownish dusky. Rump and upper tail coverts spotted light buff and 

 dusky. Tail, brownish gray, barred with du.sky. 



Total length about 13..50 inches; wing, 8.50; culmen, 2.25; tarsus, 170; 

 middle toe. 1.00. 



In plumage this little Curlew closely resembles N. Hudsonicus, but has the 

 primaries finely and confusedly mottled, instead of being marked with very dis- 

 tinct and regular ochraceous spots ; the breast with transverse V shaped markings, 

 instead of linear longitudinal streaks ; while there are other differences besides the 

 important one of size, which readily distinguish them. 



Habitat. — The whole of the eastern province of North America, but not re- 

 corded from western North America — breeding in the Arctic regions and migrat- 

 ing south to the extremity of South America, Patagonia, Falkland Islands, Chili, 

 etc. 



This Curlew, called in New England the " Doe bird," is very plentiful in the 

 regions where it breeds, and in the course of its spring and fall migrations, the 

 great highway of which is through those states which lie just east of the Rocky 

 Mountains. It is said to be common in northern Illinois. It passes north over 

 Ontario early in May, and returns early in October. The writer and a friend 

 took two speci mens in fine condition on October 10, 1884, on Lake Erie shore, near 

 Port Maitland. They were in company of Golden Plover. However, this Curlew 

 is not common in Ontario, and can only be of interest to the sportsman in the 

 autumn migration. It feeds on crickets, grasshoppers and other insects, besides 

 berries and seeds. The nest is made on the ground, and three eggs, sometimes four, 

 constitute a set. The vounof are able to run as soon as hatched. 



