THE LONG-BILLED CURLEW 

 (Numenius longirostris) 



The long-billed curlew, or sickle bill as it is often 

 called, is a plentiful resident in all suitable localities. 

 The young birds mature early and find their way to the 

 marshes during August, when the season for their kill- 

 ing should begin. At this time and even during the 

 month of September they are quite palatable, but later 

 they become strong in flavor. In these months they 

 feed largely upon the seeds and insects to be found 

 on the plains, but later they confine themselves prin- 

 cipally to the marshes. They breed near the mountain 

 lakes and streams and even to considerable extent on 

 the lower grounds. A glance at the accompanying illu- 

 stration will be sufficient to enable the uninitiated to al- 

 ways know a curlew. 



Color Head, back of neck and back, dark brown, 

 mottled with buff; throat and under parts, pale buff, 

 the feathers on the breast being streaked with brown; 

 axillars, reddish brown. 



Nest and Eggs The nest is usually made on the 

 ground in tall grass and back some distance from the 

 marsh. The eggs are about four and of an olive gray, 

 spotted with brown. 



Measurements Total length, without the bill, which 

 varies very much, about 20 inches; wing, 9 to 11; bill, 

 from four to eight inches, and bent downwards, with 

 nearly as much curve as a sickle; in most specimens 

 the bill will be about six inches in length. 



THE HUDSONIAN CURLEW 



(Numenius hudsonicus) 



The Hudsonian curlew, or jack curlew, by which name 

 it is also known, is also a common visitor to our hunt- 

 ing grounds. It is often seen mixed with flocks of the 

 preceding species, which leads many to suppose that 

 they are the younger birds of that species. Unlike the 

 long-billed, the Hudsonian curlew is not a resident spe- 

 cies, or, at least, not to so great an extent, although it 

 makes its appearance on our marshes quite early in 

 the season, even as far south as central California. In 

 markings the two species are almost identical, with the 

 exception that the Hudsonian is somewhat paler in 

 shade. Any doubt arising as to which species a speci- 

 men may belong can easily be settled by an examina- 

 tion of the axillar plumes. If a long-bill, these feathers 

 will be a solid reddish-brown, but if a Hudsonian, they 

 119 



