HUDSO.X1 1 A' CIHLEW. 



he (lid (luite luLsurely, going- only a slun-t tlistance and, alighting in the shallow water, be- 

 gan to feed. I passed quite a large number during tliat tramp, all equally tame, besides 

 Ducks and other shore birds in almost countless numbers. Five or six yesirs later, I walked 

 over the same ground, but then it was no unusual thing to hear tlie crack of the breech- 

 loader, where before, the sound of a gun was scarcely known, and when I g^t a Lone- 

 billed Curlew this time, it was only by stalking it with as much caution as if it had been 

 a deer. 



The Long-billed Curlews are abundant from the Carolinas, southward, in winter, fre- 

 quenting the muddy flats which are left exposed by the tide, and probing in thcni with their 

 long bills, in search of animal food; but how they manage to eat with a bill, often over 

 eight inches long, with the aid of a tongue which but little exceeds an inch in length, is a 

 mystery. These Curlews migrate along the Atlantic coast during September, but I never 

 saw one in the North in spring. They breed throughout the West. 



NUMENIX;S HUDSONICUS. 



Hudsonian Curlew. 



Numrnius Hutlsonkus Lath., Ind. Oin, II.; 1790, 712. 



DESCIUPTION. 



Sp. Ch. Form, i-obust. Size, meiiium. Tongue-, sliort, 1-20 long, somewliat flesliy, ami narrowing gradually to tip 

 which is pointed. 



Color. Adull. Above, dark-brown, lightest on rump, streaked and spotted, on neck and body, iind banded on tail 

 and inner webs of primaries, with ashy-j'ellow. Top of head, dark-brown, with a central line and one from bill over eye, 

 ashy-yellow. Beneath, ashy-yellow, streaked on neck and brea-^t and Imnded on sides and under wings, with dark-brown. 



Young. Similar, but paler and the markings are not as well delined. Bill, brown, yellow at b^vse of lower mandible, 

 iris and feet, brown, in all .stages. 



OBSERVATIONS. 

 Readily known from preceding species by the smaller size an<l paler coloi-s and from the succeeding by the large size 

 and handed inner webs to primaries. Distributed, in summer, throughout Arctic America. Not unconinion on the coast 

 of the Northern States in autumn. Winters south of the United States. 



DIMENSIONS. 

 Average measurements of specimens from Eastern North America. Length. 17'50; stretch, 32'25; wing, 985; tail, 

 2-90; hill, S'TiO; tai-sus, '225. Longest specimen, 18-00; greatest extent of wing, 33-50; longest wing, 10 .50; tail, 3('5, bill, 

 4<10; t'livus, 2 35. Shortest specimen, 17-00; smallest extent of wing, 33-0O; -hortest wing, 9-25; tail, 2 80. bill, 3-00; tar- 

 sus, 2- 15. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND ECUJS. 

 Et/(js placed on the ground in a slight depression of the soil, on a little grass, etc., three or four in number, oval in 

 fi)rm,varying from ashy-yellow to greenish in color, spotted -.ind blotched irregularly, and thickly, with brown and umbiT 

 of varying shades. Dimensions frnm r50x2-20 to 1 t)0s2-30. 



II.MUTS. 



The Hudsoni.-m, or .lack Curlews of Sportsmen, make their appeanince in Massachu- 

 setts, early in September, and frequent the Iiill-tops, in company witli tlie Ploversand Es- 

 quimaux Curlews. Although tliey are far from being abundant, tliey cannot be considered 

 rare, as quite a number an; taken every season. I do not think that thev are mucli more 

 cimmnni than the Long-billed Curlews, but many more are killed e;ich setison, as they are 

 not nearly as shy. The Hudsonian Curlews occur on the coast of New Jersey, l)ut do not 

 seem to be taken regularly south of this point, and I never met with tlieni in Florida. These 

 Curlews appear to resemble the Lung-billed more than the Esquimaux, in habits, being 

 r.-itlier solitary, and siddoni associating in flocks of any size 



