318 



PR^COCIAL GRALLATORES — LIMICOL^. 



the ground, and were usually mere depressions lined with a few withered leaves. The 

 eggs, four in number, were found between the 20th of June and the 10th of July. These 

 nests were foiuid in about 70° north latitude, but were comparatively rare ; they were 

 usually jilaced near small lakes or streams : this, however, was not always the case. 



Eggs of this species in the Smithsonian Institution, from Mr. MacFarlane (So. 

 9428), have a ground-color of a creamy drab. The markings are irregular spots of a 

 dark lunber tint, with larger spottings of a slaty brown arou.nd the greater end. 

 These measure, one. 2.40 by 1.57 inches ; the other, 2.38 by 1.59 inches. Another 

 set (No. 14101) have a similar ground, but the markings are larger, less numerous, 

 and of a paler shade of brown ; these measure 2.21 liy 1.65 inches. 



Numenius borealis. 



THE ESKIMO CURLEW. 



Scolopax borealis, Forst. Phil. Trans. LXII. 1772, 411, 431 (Albany Fort). 



Niimenius bormlis, Lath. Intl. Orii. 11. 1790, 712. — Sw. & Rich. F. B. A. II. 1831, 378, pi. 65. 



— NiTTT. Man. II. 1834, 101. — AuD. Oni. Biog. III. 1835, 69; V. 1839, 590, pi. 208 ; Synop. 



1839, 255 ; B. Am. VI. 1843, 45, pi. 357. — Cass, in Baivd's B. N. Am. 1858, 744. — Baii;d, 



Cat. N. Am. B. 1859, uo. 551. — CouES, Key, 1872, 262 ; Check List, 1873, no. 443 ; 2d ed. 



1882, no. 646; Birds N. W. 1874, 510. — RiDGW. Noni. N. Am. B. 1881, no. 560. 

 A'uvienms brevirostris, Light. Veiz. Doubl. 1823, 75. 

 Numenius microrhyiichus, Phil. & L.andb. AViegm. Archiv, 1866, 129 (Chili). 



Hab. Eastern Province of North America ; breeding in Arctic districts, where extending from 

 the Prybilof Islands (not breeding) to (ireenland ; migrating south to the extremity of South 

 America (Falkland Islands, Patagonia, Cliili, and S. Brazil) ; no West Indian record, but noted 

 from Bermuda and Trinidad (Leotaud). Occasional in Europe. Not recorded from Western 

 North America. 



Sp. Char. Adult: Crown dusky, streaked with buff, but without distinct mesial stripe; a 

 dusky stripe of aggregated streaks on side of head, from bill to and behind the eye ; rest of head, 

 neck, and entire lower parts light buff, the cheeks and neck streaked, the breast, sides, flanks, and 



crissum with V-sbaped markings of dusky brown ; axillars and liuin.y of tbe wing pale cinnamon, 

 the former naiTowly barred with dusky. Upper parts spotted duslcy and buft', the wing-coverts 

 more grayish Iirown, with dusky shaft-streaks ; primaries, including their inner webs, plain brown- 

 ish dusky. Rump and upper tail-coverts spotted dusky and light Inifl'. Tail brownish gray, barred 

 with dusky. 



Wing, 8.00-8.50 inches ; culmen, 2.25-2.50; tarsus, 1.70-1. SO ; middle toe, I.OO. 



In plumage, this little Curlew closely resembles N. Rudsonicus, but has the inner webs of the 

 primaries finely and confusedly mottled, instead of being marked with very distinct and regular 

 ochraceous spots ; the breast with transverse V-sIiaped markings instead of linear, longitudinal 

 streaks, while there are other differences, besides the important one of size, which readily dis- 

 tinguish them. 



