22 BULLETIN FERGUS COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL 



ting unconcerned on her eggs, indifferent to the angry and distressed cac- 

 kling of her spouse. Perhaps by this time a half dozen or more other males 

 have joined in the outcry, and frequently one of these allies will try to mis- 

 lead the disturber. 



The female sits very closely upon her eggs, flattening herself upon 

 them in such a manner that she resembles a dead chicken lying on the 

 ground. When flushed from the nest, she will fly low for thirty or forty 

 feet, or flutter from the nest and run awkwardly for a short distance, feign- 

 ing to be crippled. Frequently she will lower her head, with bill almost 

 touching the ground, and run along in a shame-faced manner. Before the 

 nest is discovered, the males who are aiding to mislead the observer will 

 sometimes act in this shame-faced way. 



The site of the nest may be anywhere on the boundless prairie, 

 though most of the nests I have examined were on long slopes in the 

 vicinity of dry water-holes or water-courses. Though the curlews are 

 somewhat gregarious and social in their habits, the nests are widely scat- 

 tered over the area frequented, and there is no suggestion of community 

 in nesting. 



Nest No. 1, 1900, was found on May 28. It was made in a slight 

 depression beside dried cow dung, the chief substance used being dried 

 weed-tops. The cavity was eight inches across at the top, and two inches 

 deep. The brim of the nest was elevated an inch and a half above the 

 surroundings. There were four eggs, slightly incubated, which were placed 

 with large end outward from the middle of the nest. The site was on the 

 highest portion of an extensive pasture in the neighborhood of a small 

 stream. 



Nest No. 2, 1900, was found on May 29. It was on the high prairie, 

 a half mile from a dry water-hole. It was made beside a pile of dried cow 

 "chips," well made like No. 1, the cavity being seven inches across and 

 two inches deep. This nest was made of a scanty amount of dried grass, 

 and the brim was elevated an inch above the surroundings. The four 

 eggs were placed with small ends together in the middle of the nest. 

 They were found to be slightly incubated. 



Nest No. 3, 1900, contained four eggs advanced in incubation on 

 May 30. It was on the prairie near the base of a long gradual slope between 

 shallow depressions. In construction and measurements this nest was 

 similar to the others just described. 



Nest No. 4, 1900, was found on May 31, and contained four eggs 

 far advanced in incubation. It was in a low portion of a meadow leading 

 down to an irrigating ditch, and was made among grass stems, beside 

 scattered cow chips. The construction and size were usual. 



In 1901, I examined eight nests of the long-billed curlew between 

 May 29 and June 4, inclusive. In the most of these small pellets of driod 

 eow chips were a part of the nest material. All these nests contained 

 four eggs, or four young just emerging from the shell, and all were typical 

 in the matters recorded in the foregoing accounts. 



In 1902, circumstances allowed me to give time to the curlews ear- 



