248 SCOLOPACID^ : SNIPE, ETC. 



clay, sometimes with a slight olivaceous or drab shade, 

 oftener with a clear grayish cast, of rather peculiar 

 shade. The markings are extremely bold and sharp, 

 though not heavier than usual. Taking a specimen in 

 which the markings are most distinct, we find heavy 

 blotches and spots of indeterminate size and shape all 

 over the egg, of rich umber-brown, deeper or lighter 

 according to the quantity of pigment. Nearest these 

 blotched varieties come the splashed ones, in which the 

 markings mass more heavily about the larger end, and 

 are elsewhere spattered over in rather small markings. 

 This is the more frequent pattern ; and in some cases 

 the splashing hides the ground-color at the large end. 

 Other examples are spotted with rather narrow markings 

 that seem to radiate from the large end, becoming 

 largest and thickest around the greatest diameter of the 

 egg, and being much smaller elsewhere. All the eggs 

 have the usual neutral or stone-gray shell-markings, and 

 in most of them there are at the large end a few spots 

 or scrawls of blackish over all the other markings. 

 According to the labels, the nidification is not peculiar, 

 the nest being a slight depression in the ground, lined 

 with a few dried grasses or leaves. The eggs are four 

 in a majority of instances." 



LONG-BILLED CURLEW; SICKLE-BILL. 



NUMENIUS LONGIROSTRIS IVl/s. 



Chars. Birds of this genus are distinguished by the length, slender- 

 ness and downward curvature of the bill. In these respects tiie 

 present species stands first, the bill measuring from 4.00 to 8.00 



