CHAPTER XVII. 



LONG-BILLED CURLEW, OR SICKLE-BILL. NUMENIUS LONGIROSTRIS. 



HABITS AKD DESCRIPTION. 



HIS variety of curlew is larger than the 

 preceding species, but not, perhaps, aa 

 numerous; it is a beautiful and noble- 

 looking bird. The habits of the sickle- 

 bills are very similar to those of the 

 short-billed; they frequent the salt 

 marshes and sea-shore about the same 

 time as the other bird, and we are sur- 

 prised to learn from Mr. Giraud'is work that numbers of them re- 

 main on Folly Island, near Charleston, during the season of nidifi- 

 cation, for the purposes of procreation. 



"The long-billed curlew is twenty-five inches in length dnd 



three feet three inches in extent, and when in good order weighs 



245 



