390 A JOURNEY TO THE 



others with beautiful grass-green legs, and very gay plumage. 

 They always frequent marshes and swamps, also the banks of 

 rivers that abound with reeds and long grass. They generally 

 feed on insects that are bred in the water, and probably on 

 small frogs ; and though seldom fat, they are generally good 

 eating. They are by no means numerous even at York Fort, 

 nor in fact in the most Southern parts of the Bay that 1 have 

 visited. 

 Curlew. Curlews.^ There are two species of this bird which 



frequent the coasts of Hudson's Bay in great numbers during 

 Summer, and breed in all parts of it as far North as the 

 latitude 72° ; the largest of this species is distinguished by 

 that great NaturaHst Mr. Pennant, by the name of the 

 Esquimaux Curlew. They always keep near the sea coast ; 

 attend the ebbing of the tide, and are frequently found at 

 low-water-mark in great numbers, where they feed on marine 

 insects, which they find by the sides of stones in great plenty ; 

 but at high-water they retire to the dry ridges and wait the 

 receding of the tide. They fly as steady as a woodcock, answer 

 to a whistle that resembles their note ; lay long on their wings, 

 and are a [425] most excellent shot, and at times are delicious 

 eating. The other species of Curlew are in colour and shape 

 exactly like the former, though inferior in size, and differ in 

 their manner of life, as they never frequent the water's-edge, 

 but always keep among the rocks and dry ridges, and feed 

 on berries and small insects. The flesh of this bird is gener- 

 ally more esteemed than that of the former, but they are by no 

 means so numerous. This species of Curlew are seldom found 

 farther North than Egg River. 



[^ The Esquimaux Curlew of Pennant (" Arct. Zool.," ii. p. 461, 1785) is 

 really the Hudsonian Curlew, Numenius hudsonicus Latham, and Hearne of 

 course follows Pennant in this error. It is still a common species on the west 

 coast of Hudson Bay. The smaller one, which is the real Eskimo Curlew, 

 Numenius borealis (Forster), was formerly very abundant, but is now, unhappily, 

 nearly or quite extinct.] 



