1 6 MackAY on iJie Hskhno Curlexv. | January 



HABITS OF THE ESKIMO CURLEW {NUMENJUS 

 BOREALIS) IN NEW ENGLAND. 



]JY GEORGE H. MACKAY. 



pRORr the shores of the Arctic Ocean, where they breed, to 

 Patagonia, where they probably winter (Ibis, 1S7S. page 404), 

 is a journey of seven thousand miles; vet the Eskimo Curlews, 

 familiarly known as Doughbirds, compass it every year on 

 their migrations. Starting from the far north after incubation is 

 over, the older birds, wdiich are then generallv lean and in pooi^ 

 condition, commence to straggle down in small parties until 

 about the lirst of August they reach Labrador, where they re- 

 main, with constantly increasing numbers, for about three weeks, 

 becoming extremely fat upon the berries ol" the Evipetriiin 

 7tigrutn (known as curlew-berry, crow-berry or bear-berry) to 

 which they are particularly partial. 



About the twenty-third of August, at such time as the weatlier 

 conditions prove favorable for migration southward, they under- 

 take their long journey to the southern portion of the South 

 American continent. 'J'hey are then in the best physical condi- 

 tion, and are frequently so fat that when they strike the ground 

 after being shot Hying the skin bursts, exposing a much thicker 

 layer of fat than is usuall\- seen in other birds, hence their local 

 name 'Doughbird,' from the saying "as tat as dough." At this 

 season they are considered by epicures the finest eating of any of 

 our birds, and consequently they are watched for and sought after 

 by sportsmen with great perseverance during the very short 

 period that they are expected to pass along this coast during their 

 migration southward. They sutler but little, however, in New 

 England from such pursuit, as the number killed in the great 

 majority of years is trivial and has no effect in diminishing their 

 numbers. 



When I take a retrospective view for a series of years I am 

 more than ever impressed with the few birds killed except in 

 some yer\' exceptional year. In most years they are far from 

 being abundant, in fact are rather the reverse. I am inclined to 

 the opinion that these birds generally pass our coast much further 

 from land than has been usually supposed, for it rarely happens 



