564 THE HUDSOMAX CURLEW. 



gray aud streaked with short marks of dark brown. The under tail-coverts are white. Both 

 sexes are colored alike, and the average length is rather more than twenty inches. 



The Long-billed Cuklew {JVirmenius longirostris) inhabits the United States generally, 

 and the British provinces, breeding nearly throughout its range. It reaches south into 

 Mexico. It is regiu'ded as rather uncommon in New England. Great numbers breed about 

 Great Salt Lake, and in Texas. It is quite as often seen in the interior as on the coast, visit 

 ing often the great dry plains, where it feeds on moUusca, insects, etc., and even berries. Dr. 

 Newberry found them associating in giea-t numbers with geese and other water-birds, which 

 were congregated in countless numbers on the low lands bordeiing the Columbia Elver, in 

 October. This bird was, for a, time, thought to be identical witli che European, Init is now 

 known to be distinct. It breeds in Labrador, and the neighborhood of Hudson's Bay. This 

 species is twenty-five inches in length, and thirty-nine inches in alar extent. The bill is eight 

 inches in length. The bill continues to grow in length until the second season. In the front, 

 under the skm, there are two thick callosities, which border the upjjer side of the eye, lying 

 close to the skull. These are common to most of this group of birds, and are designed, prob- 

 ably, to protect the eye from injury as it thrusts the bill into the soil. The sexes are alike in 

 plumage. This Curlew Hies high and lapidly, generally throwing itself with others, when in 

 company, into an angular wedge, after the manner of wild geese ; uttering, as they fly and 

 when aD. alarmed, a loud, sharp, whistling, and almost barking note, sometimes, as in other 

 species of the family, strongh' reseml>ling the sibilatiou of the word liiirlew, and from whence 

 they derive their characteristic name, adopted in many languages. By a dexterous imitation 

 of this note, the sportsman very successfully arrests its flight. "In the Boston market," says 

 Nuttall, ' ' they are seen as early as 8th of August, having already raised their brood, and pro- 

 ceeded thus far towards their winter quarters." 



The Hudsonian Curlew {Numenius Tiudsomus). This much less common species is 

 native to North America, Greenland, Central and South America. It breeds in higii latitudes. 

 In Labrador it is seen in small numbers with the countless thousands of the Esquimaux Cur- 

 lew that throng the shores in August and Sejitember. It is rare in New England, but is seen 

 on the Jersey coast. 



Audubon writes: "I have found this species abundant on the shores of New Jersey in the 

 month of May, and there they remain a few weeks. I once saw a large flock of them near 

 Charleston, in the month of December, and I have found them in the Boston market in Sep- 

 tember. None were ever seen by me in any pai't of the interior, where, indee.d, it is probable 

 they very seldom make their appearance. Having compared specimens of the i)resent sj)ecies with 

 the Whimbrelof Europe {JSfumeii'ms phceopus), I am satisfied that they are perfectly distinct." 



As Audubon lias nothing of any importance to add, we may present a few extracts from 

 Wilson aud Nuttall, botli of whom have had opportunities of observing this species. 



"The Short-billed Curlew," says the former, "arrives in large flocks on the sea-coast of 

 New Jersey early in May, from the south, frequents the salt-marshes, muddy shores, and 

 inlets, feeding on small worms and minute shellfish. They are most commonly seen on mud- 

 flats at low water, in conqiany with various other wadei's, and, at high water, roam along the 

 mai-shes. They ily high, aud witli great raj^idity. A few are seen in June, and as late as the 

 beginning of Jul}', when they generally move off toward the noi'th. Their appearance on 

 these occasions is \ery intei'esting. They collect together from the marshes as if by pre- 

 meditated design, rise to a great height in the air, usually an hour before sunset, and, forming 

 in one vast line, keeji up a constant whistling on their way to tlie north, as if conversing with 

 one another to render the journey more agreeable. Their flight is then more slow and regular, 

 that the feeblest may keep up with the line of march ; while the glittering of their beautifully 

 speckled wings, sparkling in the sun, pioduces altogether a very pleasing spectacle. 



" In the month of June, while the dewbeiTies are ripe, these birds sometimes frequent the 

 fields, in company with the Long-billed Curlews, where biambles abound, soon get very fat, 

 and are at that time excellent eating." 



