IS92-J Gctieral Notes. ^91 



rupeds. birds, reptiles, amphibians, fishes, etc., added to tiie State Cabinet 

 of Natural History, from January ist, 1853, to January ist, 1854." 



At the present day there are three specimens in the State collection 

 labelled '■'■ Nnmeniu$ longirostris. Long-billed Curlew," viz., one without 

 data of any kind — coriesponding in this respect to the entry in the ist 

 Report; one in the De Rham collection, marked "male" — corresponding 

 to the entry in the 4th Refjort; the third is tlie specimen of Numenttis 

 arqualuf. under consideration, and is labelled ''Male, taken on Long 

 Island in 1853" — ^corresponding /// sex and r/rtife to the entry in the 7th 

 Report. The report contains no record of the locality in which the speci- 

 men was taken. The writer does not consider this ommision as of any im- 

 portance except that it may be looked upon as in a measure supporting 

 the supposition that the bird came from some locality within the State of 

 New York. The older Reports of the State Cabinet do not contain 

 records of localities for animals, except when the occurrence of a species 

 in a certain locality was considered remarkable. The Reports give evi- 

 dence that the specimen of Numenius arquatus was believed to be the 

 comrnon Long-billed Curlew {Numenius lo7tgirostris) known to occur 

 more or less plentifully within the State, so that the locality in which the 

 specimen was taken was not thought worthy of remark. 



The writing on the label is apparently very old, and is in the hand 01 

 the late John Gebhard, who was curator of the State Cabinet at the time 

 the bird was received. Mr. Gebhard was in the employ of the institution 

 at the time of his death in 18S7, in the capacity of guide; and was believed 

 to be familiar with the history of most of the zoological specimens. About 

 ten years ago the birds and their labels were marked with corresponding 

 numbers. The work was done by Mr. Martin Sheehy, who is still in the 

 emploj' of the museum, and at a time when Mr. Gebhard was connected 

 with the institution. On account of the position which he held — that of 

 guide — Mr. Gebhard'b eyes were upon the collection almost every day. 

 Under such circumstances it is hardly possible that there could have been 

 any confusion of labels without attracting his attention. — Wm. B. 

 Marshall, Nezv York State Museum, Albatiy, N. T. 



The above notes were read at the last Congress of the American Orni- 

 thologists' Union, November, 1891, and the specimen in question also was 

 exhibited. The identity of the specimen being beyond question, the only 

 other point to be decided is, whether the claim that it was taken in North 

 America is well founded. In addition to the facts submitted above by Mr. 

 Marshall, he also found in the Comptroller's Office in Albany, a bill made 

 by James A. Hurst, dated June 8, 1853, for certain specimens of mammals, 

 birds, etc., among which is this item, "Long-billed Curlue, male, very 

 fine, $5.00." Mr. Hurst who sold this specimen to the State Museum 

 was in the employ of the State Cabinet at the date of the bill and for 

 many years afterward in the capacity of taxidermist. It is evident neither 

 Mr. Gebhard, the curator, nor Mr. Hurst, the taxidermist, were aware 

 that the specimen added to the collection at that time was the European 



