398- 



NUMENIUS HUDSONICUS (Baird). 



THE HUDSONIAN CURLEW. 



Specific Character. — Crown, dark sooty brown ; divided longitudinally by a 

 mesial line of buff ; a narrow dusky stripe on side of head, from bill to anterior 

 angle of eye, continued back beneath the eye and along upper edge of auriculars, 

 separated from the dusky of the crown by a wide well defined superciliary stripe 

 of light buff. Rest of head and neck and entire lower parts, light buff ; the chin, 

 throat and abdomen, immaculate ; other portions, including cheeks, entire neck, 

 jugulum, and breast, marked with linear streaks of dark brown ; axillars, pinkish 

 buff" or dilute cinnamon barred with dark brown. Upper parts spotted with dark 

 sooty brown and light buff, the latter prevailing on the w^ing coverts, the former 

 on the back ; rump and upper tail coverts similarly spotted ; primaries dusky, the 

 jnner quills spotted with buff; iris brown. 



Total length about 18.00 inches ; wing, 9.00 ; culmen, 3.00 ; tarsus, 2.25 ; mid- 

 dle toe, 1.35. 



Habitat. — The whole of America including the West Indies; breeds in the 

 high north, and winters chiefly south of the United States. 



The " Short-billed Curlew " as it is generally called by sportsmen, is pretty 

 generally distributed throughout North America. It is common in Ontario during 

 its migrations, reaching here early in June on its way north, in quite large flocks, 

 alighting on the rocky points which jut out into the lakes. It is very wary and 

 so shy that it is hard to get a shot at it. Flocks come regularly in June to Gull 

 Island, off the mouth of the Grand River in Lake Erie, and staying for a few days 

 pursue their journey north to their breeding grounds. It feeds upon small shell- 

 fish, worms, etc. Its flesh is white and delicious eating. It is said to lay four 

 eggs as a set It goes south early in October. 



