LONG-BILLED CURLEW, OR SICKLE-BILL. 231 



lower mandible ; the color black, except towards the base of the 

 lower, where it is of a pale flesh color; tongue extremely short, 

 differing in this from the Snipe ; eye dark ; the general color 

 alone of the plumage above is black, spotted, and barred along 

 the edge of each feather with pale -brown; chin, line over the 

 eye, and round the same, pale brownish- white ; neck reddish- 

 brown streaked with black; spots on the breast more sparingly 

 dispersed; belly, thighs, and vent pale, plain rufous, without 

 any spots; primaries black on the outer edges, pale-brown on 

 the inner, and barred with black ; legs and naked thighs very 

 pale light blue or lead color; the middle toe connected with the 

 two outer ones as far as the first joint by a membrane, and bor- 

 dered along the sides with a thick warty edge; lining of the 

 wing dark rufous, approaching a chestnut, and thinly spotted 

 with black. The male and female alike in plumage, &c." 



This Bird resembles somewhat the English Curlew (Scolopax 

 Aquata), but the difference in the plumage and length of the 

 bill is sufficient to mark it as a distinct species. The English 

 Curlew weighs about the same with the American ; the bill, 

 however, is two inches shorter. During the season of Bramble- 

 berries, the Curlews sometimes desert the marshes and fens, and 

 resort to the old fields to partake of this fruit, and are then 

 free from that strong sedgy taste that they acquire while feed- 

 ing on fiddlers, snails, shell-fish, and other strong food. 



These Birds, like all their congeners, are very shy and hard 

 to approach; they are often shot down when in company on 

 the sand flats with other less wary fovv^ls ; they are easily de- 

 coyed while flying by imitating their whistle, with which most 

 of our Coast-Shooters are familiar, and can draw them a con- 

 siderable distance from their course by sounding their expres- 

 sive notes. All our Sea-Birds should be fired upon while going 

 from us, as they are more easily killed by striking them with 

 the feathers than against them. 



The Long-Billed Curlew requires a very hard rap to bring 

 him down, and will often carry off several large pellets with 

 him. They generally fly very high, and with great velocity, 

 and, when in companies, adopt the wedge form, like Ducks. 



These Birds are pursued upon our coast like other Sea-fowls, 

 either in boats or by tramping over the marshes. A pit dug 



