190 



MEMOIRS OF THE NUTTALL ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB. 



This bird is an apparent, but I am inclined to think, only an apparent, 

 exception to the rule that the shore birds are all decreasing in numbers. Thus, 

 in Holder's 1 list of the birds of Lynn, observed from 1 844 to 1 846, this bird 

 is not mentioned, although the Long-billed and the Eskimo Curlew are both 

 included. Putnam, 2 in his 1856 list for Essex County, gives the Long-billed as 

 "rather rare" in August, the Eskimo as "rather rare," September to middle 

 of October, and omits the Hudsonian entirely from the list. Maynard, 3 whose 

 observations at Ipswich extended from 1867 to 1872, states that this bird is 

 " very rare on the migrations," while both the Long-billed and the Eskimo 

 Curlew are described as not uncommon. Allen, 4 in 1878, says the Long-billed 

 Curlew is a "not very common spring and autumn visitant," and of the Eskimo 

 Curlew he says : " Rather common spring and autumn migrant " ; while he calls 

 the Hudsonian Curlew a "rare spring and fall migrant." 



It is possible that the Hudsonian Curlew suffered in former days by com- 

 parison with its more common relatives. These relatives are now, as far as the 

 Essex County coast is concerned, birds of the past, accidental wanderers, and 

 the Hudsonian Curlew appears in its true proportions as not uncommon. 



The Hudsonian Curlew is an early migrant, usually appearing by the 

 middle of July. In 1904, there was a flight as early as July 6th. Mr. T. C. 

 Wilson reported some eight or ten flocks of from four to fifteen birds each, per- 

 haps 75 birds in all, that flew by the sloughs at Eagle Hill, Ipswich. On the 

 same day one was seen at Lynn Beach, by Mr. T. M. Bradlee. This was an 

 unusually large as well as early flight. 



This Curlew is found on the beach as well as in the sloughs of the salt 

 marsh, singly or in small flocks. It is usually extremely shy, although the 

 young birds, which begin to arrive by the middle of August, are at times quite 

 tame. On the beach, their graceful forms and curved bills are displayed to best 

 advantage. They walk and run rapidly, stand still, often with one foot several 

 inches in front of the other, rest occasionally by squatting down, with the tarsi 

 flat on the ground, or standing upon one leg, with the other out behind. 



Their flight is at times very swift. When they fly low over the water 

 which they generally do in single file, their flight is often slow and suggests that 

 of a Heron. At such times the long curved bill continuing the slender head, 

 can often be plainly seen. They often raise their wings slightly as they alight. 



1 J. B. Holder : Catalogue of Birds Noticed in the Vicinity of Lynn During the Years of 1844- 

 •5-' 6, 1846. 



» F. W. Putnam: Proc. Essex Inst., vol. 1, p. 218, 1856. 



3 C.J. Maynard: The Naturalist's Guide, p. 142, 1870. 



4 J- A. Allen: Bull. Essex Inst., vol. 10, p. 25, 1878. 



