SCOLOFACID.K ~ TIIK SNIPK FAMIIA' - LIMOSA. 



257 



soiithiTii I'l'^iim. in AUj "st tli«'v liml lit'coim' iinirc iniiiit'nms ; and alMHit thf time 

 ipf liis li-aving he saw tlu'iii daily in tiut laj,'()un. 



Dr. ("ooptT statfs tlial, tliis s|M'(it's is (•(iniiiioii tlintiij,di iit-aily all tlw^ year aloiij; 

 till' siiiitlicrii halt' ol the (.'alitnrnian coast ■ and it scrnii'il to liini |iri)l>alil(' that it 

 liii'i'ds within or nt-ar th*> limits id' that State as the y«un^' makt* their apiicaraiMf, 

 lully tl(dj,'rd. near San I'fdro in .Inly, and n-maiii nniil die L'ttth (d' May, it' not later. 



A< eordiiin til (Jiiand it arrives in the month ol May on the sea-eoast of Long 

 l>l;ind. where it is well kiHiwn to the sportsmen iioth as the .Marliii and as the <ireat 

 Marbled (iodwit. It visits that locality ret;ularly every sprin-,' and aiitnnin, liut nev.-r 

 in alinntlanee, It. associates in Hocks, and iisnally passes its time on the shoals and 

 salt-marshes, iH'ing exceedingly watchtnl, and not permitting a near approach; yet 

 wiieiiever any <nie id' its inindier is wonnded, its associates hover around it and ntter 

 liiud and shrill cries, (hi sntdi un occasion they crowd together and oti'er an excidlent 

 opportunity for the hunter to secure others. I'elican l>ar is said to lie a favoraide 

 place lor prociu'ing this species, (liraud adds that its tiesh is teiah-r and juicy, and 

 that it is highly prized as a gamedtird Ity »'i)icurcs. 



This Curlew is not common in Massachusetts, it lieing much less frecpu-ntly met 

 with than the smaller species. .V few are seen hoth in their spring migrations and in 

 the fall, in the laore easterly portions id" Itarnstaltle County. .Mr. iSoarilman informs 

 us that it is found at (irand .Meiian late in the sumnu-r ami during its migrations 

 siPiuhward. 



Wilson, who only oliserved this Imd on the shore of New Jersey, regarded it 

 as exclusively migratory, ciuuing in May and returning in Octohcr and Novenil)(>r. 

 a fi'W lingering into dune, 'i'hey were known to huidiMs as the Ited Curlew and 

 the Sti.iightd)illed Curlew, lie (diarai'terizes it as shy. cautious, ami watchfid. yet 

 so strongly iitta(died to its companions, that when oin- in a tlock i^: wounded, the rest 

 are imiuediately arrested in theii- flight, making .so many circuits over the sjiot where 

 il lies Huttering and screaming, that the sportsman idtcn makes great desrruction 

 among tliem. 'I'his liird may lie enticed within shot \>\ imitating its whistle, hut 

 can seldom he otherwise approacdied. It is found usually among die siilt-marshes, 

 anil in the fall is very fat. 



N\ittall ventured the conjecture — since verilied — that some of this siiecii's may yet 

 lie innnd to hreed in more temperate regions to the West, as wtdl as at the North. In 

 Ins day this species is .said to have appeared ahont the middle of .\ugust in the .salt- 

 marshes of Massaidnisctts. particularly towards the eastern extri'mity.aronml Chatham 

 and the N'incyard, tlicir stay heing very siiiirl. It may he that he mistook for this 

 till' NiiilsDiilini, which in some seasons is very almndant on this coast. .\t present, 



at least, it is only an •asimial visitant, though said in Nutlairs time to assemhle in 



tliiiks of many hundreds. \'errill speaks of it as rare on th.- coast of Maim-, and it 

 is Mot given l>y Itoardmau in his List (d' the Itirds of Calais, although he has sincL> 

 1)1 en informed that it prolialily lueeds in I'riuce Kdward's Island. 



Mr. Andnhou met with this species in l-Moriila, during winter, on all the large 

 mndily Hats of the coast. It was generally M'cn in Hocks of live or six, in company 

 with several other kinds of Waders, Few hirds are fouml more shy or vigilant; 

 Imt when in large Hocks they nni,\ occasionally he apiiroached and kilh-d in large 

 innnbers. On the last of .May. \M'J, he saw, on an extei^sive mnddtar alKUit six miles 

 south uf C!ape Sahle, an immense Hock (d' the.se birds, amounting to sonn* thonsuinls 

 in nund)er. Kotir ov live shots enabled him to obtain all he (h'sirei'. Those killed 

 Were |)lump and excellent eatim;. The next morning the whole Hock had moved north. 

 This liird has a regular and ipdck Hight, and when migrating usually moves in 



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