216 FEATHEKED GAME 



been killed on Cape Cod during the fall flights 

 where, when the birds are moving, decoys and 

 skillful use of a plover whistle are more pro- 

 ductive of good results than elsewhere in our 

 section. All the curlews decoy readily and are 

 loth to leave a wounded friend, so that a gun- 

 ner may get several shots into a flock if he has 

 downed a bird or two with his first barrel. 



This species is a lover of warm weather, sel- 

 dom going north beyond the temperate zone, 

 and breeding in almost any part of its habitat. 

 During the winter months they are quite abund- 

 ant on the plains of Mexico and Texas and all 

 along the shores of the Gulf of Mexico to Cen- 

 tral America. They are quite common through- 

 out our southwestern States and on the sand- 

 bars along the coasts of our South Atlantic 

 States during the breeding season. The clutch 

 of eggs numbers three or four, dingy gray, and 

 nearly, if not quite, as large as hens' eggs. 



The bill is often of great length, though vary- 

 ing much in specimens according to the age and 

 development of the bird, running from four to 

 eight inches. This is mainly black, though 

 much of the under mandible is yellowish. In 

 adult birds the bill is considerably down-curved 

 at the tip. 



