BAY SNIPE. 41 



" This bird is more abundant at the south. On ' Folly Island,' 

 about twenty m'.les below Charleston, I am informed that many 

 of them breed. They are regular visitors at Egg Harbor and 

 Long Island in the spring and summer, and have been seen in 

 the latter place as late as the middle of November. Mr. Brash- 

 er infoi-ms me that he has met with it on the prairie lands in 

 Illinois in the month of May. 



" The Long-billed Curlew, or ' Sickle-bill,' as many term it, 

 frequents the muddy shores of beaches and marshes, where it 

 collects minute shell-fish, which, with worms, and various in- 

 sects, constitute its food. When moving about in flocks, they 

 fly much after the manner of Wild Geese, the leaders uttering 

 a hoarse, dull note, which, by imitating, the group readily 

 obeys, and ai"e proverbial for answering the fowler's call when 

 at a greater distance from his decoys than any other species of 

 shore birds. When approaching near to the decoys, they spread 

 their vi^ings, and sail slowly up, presenting such a fair mark, 

 that those singled out by the gunner seldom escape. Its flesh 

 is rank, the young partaking of the same flavor. The sympa- 

 thy existing in these birds is so strong, that I have known of 

 instances of flocks being kepi within gun-shot by the ci'ies of 

 their wounded companions, until as many as fifteen have shared 

 a similar fate." 



No. 2. The Hudsonian Curlew — Slwrt-hilled Curlew — Jack 



Curlew. — Numenius Hudsonicus. 



Esquimaux Curlew, Scolopax borealis, Wils. Amer. Orn. Numenius Hudsoni- 

 cus, Bonap. Syn. Numenius Hudsonicus, Hudsonian Curlew, Sw. & Rich. 

 Esquimaux Curlew, Numenius Hudsouicus, Nutt. Man. Hudsonian Curlew, 

 Numenius Hudsonicus, Aud. Orn. Biog. 



" Specific Character. — Length of bill three inches and three- 

 quarters ; tarsi two inches ; lower parts white. Adult with the 

 upper part of the head deep-brown, with a central and two 

 lateral lines of whit'sh ; a brown line from the bill to the eye, 

 and another behind the eye ; neck all round pale yellowish- 



