42 FRANK forester's FIELD SPORTS. 



gray, longitudinally streaked with brown, excepting the upper 

 part of the throat, which is grayish-white ; upper parts in gene- 

 ral blackish-brown, marked with numerous spots of brownish- 

 white, there being several along the margins of each feather; 

 wings and rump somewhat lighter ; upper tail coverts and tail 

 barred with dark-brown and olivaceous-gray ; primaries and 

 their coverts blackish-brown, all with transverse yellowish-gray 

 markings on the inner web ; the shaft of the first quill white — of 

 the rest brown ; breast and abdomen grayish- white, the sides 

 tinged with cream-color, and barred with grayish-brown ; bill 

 rather more than twice the length of the head, of a brownish- 

 black color — at the base of the lower mandible, flesh-colored. 

 Length eighteen inches, wing nine and a half. 



" This bird arrives on Long Island in the month of May. It 

 frequents the marshes and muddy flats, feeding on worms and 

 minute shell-fish. With us, it is not so abundant as the long- 

 billed species, with which it sometimes associates. Early in 

 June it moves on to the North, where it passes the season of 

 reproduction ; in the latter part of August, while journeying 

 southward, it again makes its appearance on the salt marshes ; 

 and sometimes it frequents the uplands, where it procures ber- 

 ries and insects of various kinds, on which it grows very fat — 

 though in general its flesh is not well flavored. 



" The flight of the Hudsonian Curlew is easy and steady ; it 

 obeys the fowler's whistle, and presents an excellent mark. 

 This bird is remarkable for sympathizing with its wounded 

 companions — a trait of character so proverbial in the Long- 

 billed Curlew. 



" Occasionally stragglers are observed to linger behind until 

 the early part of November ; but in general, all have left for 

 winter quarters by the middle of October. The name general- 

 y given to it by our gunners, is ' Short-billed' or ' Jack Curlew.' " 



