160 • BIRDS OF ONTARIO. 



have been found breeding on the barren land of the Arctic Regions. 

 They seem to prefer the eastern route during migrations. Mr, 

 Chamberlain reports them as abundant along the Atlantic, as far 

 north, at least, as Anticosti. Dr. Bell found them in plenty near 

 Fort Churchill, but in the " Birds of Manitoba," no mention is made 

 of them. In Southern Ontario they are still rare. Occasionally a 

 straggling flock of migrants is seen in spring, and Dr. Macallum 

 reports them as regular visitors at Mohawk Island every June, but 

 on such occasions they appear only in small numbers. 



NUMENIUS BOREALIS (Forst.). 

 118. Eskimo Curlew. (266) 



Bill, small, under 3 inches long; length, 12-15 inches; wing, under 9; tail, 

 3; tarsus, 2. Plumage, in tone and pattern almost exactly as in the last 

 species, but averaging more rufous, especially under the wings, and primaries, 

 not barred. 



Hab. — Eastern Province of North America, breeding in the Arctic regions, 

 and migrating south to the southern extremity of South America. 



Nest, in open plains, a hollow lined with grass and leaves. 



Eggs, olive-drab shading to green gray, or brown marked with dark choco- 

 late. 



The Curlews all resemble each other in plumage, but in size they 

 vary considerably, this being the smallest of the three. It is very 

 abundant in the remote regions which it frequents in summer, and 

 also along its migratory course, from which it does not see^m to 

 deviate much. On the Pacific coast it has not yet been observed, 

 and on the Atlantic shores it appears only in limited numbers. The 

 great highway of the species is through the States just east of the 

 Rocky Mountains, where it is seen in immense flocks in spring and 

 fall. Dr. Coues says it is extraordinarily abundant in some places 

 during the migration, as in Labrador, where it fairly swarms in 

 August. I once found myself, unexpectedly, in close proximity to a 

 solitary individual on the shore of the beach, near Hamilton, and 

 secured it, but that is the only record I have of its occurrence in 

 Ontario. 



Dr. Macallum's experience with this species is similar to mine. 

 He secured two, which were feeding in an old pasture field along 

 with some Golden Plovers ; but these are all he has seen in twenty 

 years. 



