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



frequents the muddy shores of beaches and marshes, where it col- 

 lects minute shell-fish, which, with worms, and various insects, 

 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 are pro- 

 verbial for answering the fowler's call when at a greater distance 

 from his decoys than any other species of shore birds. When ap- 

 proaching near to the decoys, they spread their wings, 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 sympathy existing in these birds is so 

 strong, that I have known of instances of flocks being kept within 

 gun-shot by the cries of their wounded companions, until as many 

 as fifteen have shared a similar fate. 



The Long-billed Curlew is said to be one of the Egyptian divin- 

 ities, and is embalmed and entombed with the Ibis and other sacred 

 birds. 



NUMENIUS HUDSONICUS-LATHAM. 



HUDSONIAN CURLEW. 



Esquimaux Curlew, Scolopax borealis, Wils. Amer. Orn. 

 Numenius Hudsonicus, Bonap. Syn. 



Numcnius Hudsonicus, Hudsonian Curlew, Sw. & Rich. 

 Esquimaux Curlew, Numenius Hudsonicus, Nutt. Man. 

 Hudsonian Curlew, Numenius Hudsonicus, Aud. Orn. Biog. 



Specific Character — Length of bill three inches and three quar- 

 ters ; tarsi two inches ; lower parts white. Adult with the upper 

 part of the head deep brown, with a central and two lateral lines 

 of whitish ; a brown line from the bill to the eye, and another be- 

 hind the eye ; neck all round pale yellowish-gray, longitudinally 

 streaked with brown, excepting the upper part of the throat, which 

 is grayish white; upper parts in general blackish-brown, marked 

 with numerous soots of brownish-white, there beino- several along 



