170 SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. 



264. Numenius longirostris Wilt. LONG - BILLED CURLEW ; 



SICKI.K-IIII.L. A'l. Head and IH- ok streaked, and baek barred with buft'y 

 and black; wing-coverts, inner webs of primaries, secondaries, uiid tail vary- 

 ing from bully to pale rufous, barred or mottled with blackish; under parts 

 ochraceoim-buff, breast more or less streaked and sides sometimes barred 

 with black; axillars rufous, generally unbarred. L., 24-00; W., 10-50; Tar., 

 8-10; B., 6-00. 



Range. United States, breeding in the interior us far north as Manitoba 

 and on the Atlantic coast to North Carolina; casual northward to New Eng- 

 land; winters from Florida and Texas southward to the West Indies. 



Washington, rare and irregular T. V. Long Island, casual from July to 

 Sept. Sing Sing, A. V. 



Eygt, three to four, olive clay-color or brownish ashy, spotted or blotched 

 with chocolate, 2'58 x 1-85. 



"These birds, as a rule, inhabit the muddy shores and moist grassy 

 flats and plains, but often frequent and breed upon the uplands re- 

 mote from water. Their food consists of worms, crickets, hectics, 

 grasshoppers, small snails, ornl>s, and crawfish; the hitter they reach 

 for with their long bills and pull them out of their holes; and I have 

 seen them probe for and unearth the larva? of the beetles and other 

 forms of life that in the spring come to or near the surface prepara- 

 tory to transformation. While feeding they move about with an easy ' 

 carriage. 



" Their flight is not rapid but well sustained, with regular strokes 

 of the wings, and when going a distance usually high and in a trian- 

 gular form, uttering now and then their loud, prolonged whistling 

 note, so often heard during the breeding season ; before alighting, sud- 

 denly drop nearly to the ground, then gather, and with a rising sweep 

 gracefully alight " ((! 



265. Numenius hudsonicus Lntfi. HUDSONIAN CURLEW; JACK 



CURLEW. Ad. Upper parts grayish brown, the sides of the feathers with 

 whitish spots; rump and tail barred with bully and blackish ; inner web of 

 outer primaries and both webs of inner ones barred with butly or whitish and 

 black; under parts bully or whitish, the neck and breast streaked and the 

 Hides and under wing-coverts barred with black. L., 17'UO; W., 9-50; Tar., 

 2-20; B., 3-75. 



Range. Breeds in the arctic regions and winters from the Gulf States to 

 Patagonia. 



Long Island, T. V., rare from May 20 to 30; common from July to Oct. 1. 



/.'</(/.. three to four, pale olive, spotted with dull brown, 2-27 x 1-57 

 (Ridgw.). 



This is a much commoner bird on our coasts than the preceding, 

 which it resembles in habits but not in notes. 



266. Numenius borealis (Forst.). ESKIMO CURLEW; FITE ; 

 DOUOH-BIRD. Ad. Upper parts black, margined and tipped with buffy or 



