296 BAY-BIRDS. 



the upper parts brownish-grey ; neck ash-grey, 

 streaked with dusky ; lower parts greyish-white, 

 with dusky bars on the sides of the body. Length, 

 ten inches and a half; wing, six." Giraucl. 



CUKLEW. 



Genus Numenius, Briss. 



Generic Distinctions. Bill very long, slender, de- 

 curved or arched, with the upper mandible the 

 longer, and obtuse at the end; head rounded and 

 compressed above; neck long, body full, wings long, 

 feet rather long ; toes connected at the base ; tibid 

 bare a short space above the knee ; legs rather long ; 

 tail short and rounded. 



JACK CURLEW. 



Short-billed Curlew. Hudsonian Curlew. 

 Numenius Hudsonicus, Lath. 



This is a graceful and elegant bird, but so shy 

 and so well able to carry off shot, that it is regarded 

 as the most difficult to kill of all the bay-birds. It 

 has a long, rolling cry, and although it approaches 

 the decoys, it rarely alights, or even pauses over 

 them ; but, detecting the deception, it turns off or 

 passes on in its course. For this reason, the fortu- 

 nate sportsman Avho kills a "Jack" is eminently 

 satisfied, although its ilesh is not remarkably fine. 



" Specific Character. Length of bill, three inches 

 and three-quarters ; tarsi, two indies ; lower parts 



