eS92.] Mackay on flic HiuL^onuni Cnrlev}, 349 



When on migration tliey fly similarly to Geese and Ducks at such 

 times. The young birds first appear about the end of August, 

 ^nd continue coming until into October. I have never seen these 

 young birds in flocks on Nantucket Island, nor associated with 

 the adults, there usually being not over five or six birds, or even 

 iess, together. 



Some Hudsonian Curlews migrate along the New England 

 coast in the spring on their way to the north, appearing as early 

 as the fourteenth of May, and I have heard of instances when 

 two were shot on April 20, 189 1, on Muskeget Island, and twelve 

 seen on April 23, 1891, standing on Stony Point, Nantucket 

 Island; also one noted on April 10, 1892, at Nantucket Island. 

 These dates are the earliest which have come to my notice. About 

 the twentieth of May is a more probable date to expect them. 

 When noted in the spring it is generally on very fine, warm, and 

 clear mornings. They are seldom seen in stormy weather, but 

 usually before it. That these birds are powerful and enduring fliers 

 is evidenced by their long, pointed wings. It may be of interest 

 if I quote from Mr, Robert O. Cunningham's book ('Notes on 

 the Natural History of the Strait of Magellan,' 1871, Nassau). 

 This gentleman writes (page 334) that he " observed on March 

 30, 1 868, large flocks of small Curlew {^Numejiins Juidsonicus) 

 feeding on the mud flats uncovered by the tide." Again he men- 

 tions (page 432) seeing on Nov. 16, 1868, "an enormous flock 

 of the small Curlew seen on former occasions " ; this was ofl' 

 Punta Arenas, Ancud Bay. From the above the inference is 

 that the Hudsonian Curlew winters to a greater or less extent in 

 Patagonia. 



Hudsonian Curlews vary considerably in size, for I have shot 

 specimens nearly as large as some small Long-billed Curlew 

 (^N. longirostris)^ and some but little larger than a large Eskimo 

 Curlew {N. borealis). Their bills also vary in length. 



As it may be of interest to hear something regarding this bird's 

 movements in South Carolina I would add that they arrive in the 

 vicinity of Port Royal on their northern migration, from the four- 

 teenth of April to the middle of May, departing about the twenty- 

 second of May, the height of abundance being about May first. 

 In this locality they always leave the marshes about sunset, unless 

 the tide drives them off" earlier, to fly to their roosting place, some 

 sand bank on the coast. At such times they depart in flocks of 



