SCol.oI'ACID.K -rilK SMl'l'; I'AMII.Y NIMKNII'S. 



821 



ili'ii.sity ••* Hu' t'oK. mill us hoou us tin- wfutlitT cli-uri'd, tlicy stt dtl in u Htiaih'lit 

 ,nUtH«' ut'ioss tlif (iiiir of St. I.iiwniicc. W lidi'Vcr tlicif was u s|Mit. iitloidiiiK' ii 

 >u|(|ily t)l' luod, lliin' tin- Cmli'ws uIkhiikIimI, ;iiiiI wi-if I'usily ii|i|in)a(liiMl, My tlio 



r.'lli i>l nust all liail It'tt tlif ('(miitry. In Laluailor ('urli'ws f I clui-Hy ou what is 



ilnTi' k.nwn as tin- "C'urlcw-lM'rry " — a Niiiall lilark iiuil (,'rowinj,' i»n a crcfping 

 slinili not more tliaii an imli or twii IiIkIi- WIh'Ii in scarcli <>!' rcrtliMK-K''*'""'^ t'"'y 

 tlv in I'liisi' niassi's witli ii'inarkalili' s|i>'i'il. pi'i Im niin^ licautilnl ('vulnlii)ns in tiii! 

 iiir. W iiili' i>n till' wiii^' tlii-y riuit a sutt. wliistlin^ ntito, liiit ui'i* sili-iit when uliKlitcil. 

 Tlii'y ran swiftly mi thr ^,'nlnnll, picking,' n|i llif ln-rrii's in flu-ir w;iy ; ami wlu'ii pur. 

 Hiiril, will sipiat in tin- inannrr nf a Snipi-, laying' ni-i'k ami In-ail tiat un tlir gruuml, 

 mill whi'U appniai'lii-il, at a siii;;lr wliisllr of lam of tin- tlork, all iinnn-iliatcly srn-ani 

 mil riy itIT, not infii'ipirMtly iraii^'litiiiK mi tin* sanii' spot. Tht'sc birds contiiint'd 

 til aii'is'i' in Hr.is d't Ir fnr si'Vi'ral days in lincks of inrn-asin^ sizi'. 'I'liis sprrii's 

 iJM's fruai till' j,'rmind liy a siii^,'li' ipiick spring, cuts liarkwanl iiml lnrward and all 

 ai'iiiuiil in a vi-ry riirimis maiini'r, and urcasimially paiisi's in tin' air in tin; uiun- 

 iKi' uf a Hawk, ri'iiiiiinin;,' statimiiiiy, with its lii'ad toward thr wind, just hcfori' it 

 ali;,'lits. It is nimi' shy in ralm and ipiii't wratln-r than at any otln-r tinn-. In its 

 passa^'i' across tho (Inlf it llii's liij^li. in i losr liodics and at ^,'rt'at spi-cd, Itut not in 

 I'c^^alar linrs, Aiidnhon was informi'd hy old sitth-rs at Uras d'(h' that this (hirhnv 

 liMssi's northward ovi-r thf saiar trart ahoiit tin' middh' of May. 



'I'lii' Kskimo Ciirlrws arc known to iiii.i,'rat(' thrmii,di the interior in inuucnse 

 niiiiibi'rs in May. Duriiij,; the second week of that month liirj,'e flocks of several hnn- 

 ilivd nnike their appearance, even while the snow, many feet in depth, still fills the 

 ravines. .\t this season this Curlew may he I'ouiid .scattered everywhere, dotting the 

 piaiiic in large, loose flocks. 



According to (Jirand. this <'iirlew is fmind every sea.son on the coast of New .Jer- 

 sey. Long Island, iind Uliode Island. It freipients the ojicn ground in the vicinity of 

 till' sea-coast, feeding on grasshojipers and other insects, seeds, worms, and berries. 

 It ai lives on the shores of Long Island in the latter part of .Viigust. and remains until 

 tlir 1st of Novi'inlicr, when it assembles in large flocks and moves oif to its winter- 

 ([iiaiteis. lie has shot a few straggleis as late as the L'tttli of Novcmiier. It occa- 

 siuiially associates with the (loldeii I'lovei'. is generally in line condition in the 

 autumn, and. unlike both the other Curlews, its flesh is hnely flavored. In the 

 viiiiiiry of New Vmk it is known liy the name of /■'iifrs. \\\ .Smithern sportsmen it 

 is known as the ".lack Curlew" and the •• Shmt-billed Curlew." It is said to reach 

 the .Middle States from the South early in the spiiiig, leiiiaining only a short time, 

 fi'iiliiig in the salt-marshes and on the mud-Hats. It moves in large Hocks, and keeps 

 ii|i a roiistant whistling during the journey. It has been stated by those who shoot 

 fur the Philadelphia nuirket. that a few remain and bi'eed in the marshes about Cape 

 May; but it is more jirobable that these are only barren stragglers. 



On the New .lei'sey coast it is saiil to be a very shy bird, and reipiires great cau- 

 tiiiii to approach. When friglitiMied it Hies with grei't rapidity, and is not easily 

 hriiiight down ; but may be much more readily shot as it Hies to and from its feeding- 

 grnunds, or it may be taken unawares when, unsuspicious id' danger, it is feeding 

 with other Waders on b.ars and points ahmg the creeks. To approach it under such 

 ciivuiiistaiKH's reipiires many inecautions, as it is easily alarmed. If one is wounded, 

 its companions evince great solicitude for it, .and will fly around it for some time ; 

 ami advantage is often taken of this by the si)ortsnian to obtain others. 



Mr. MaeFarlane met with this species breeding in great abundance throughout the 

 Karri'ii Grounds up to the Arctic coast, but it was not met with before entering these 



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