142 BIRDS 



THE ESKIMO CURLEW* 



The Eskimo Curlew, or Dough Bird, as it is frequently 

 called, has an extensive range covering the entire length of 

 eastern North America. In the United States, it is known 

 only as a migrant, for it seldom winters within its borders, 

 but passes southward into Central America and through- 

 out South America. As it nests Avithin the Arctic Circle, 

 it is seldom seen south of the Canadian border during the 

 summer months. The northward migration takes place 

 during the last of April and early in !May; the southward 

 begins about the first of September. Its favorite feeding 

 hours are at the beginning and at the close of day, and 

 during its migrations it frequents grassy marshes and 

 neighboring fields, where it finds a plentiful supply of 

 insects, earthworms, and moUusks. 



While in the North, the curlew's food consists to a great 

 extent of berries, especially the small deep purple berry 

 called the bear or curlew berry. Dr. Coues says that it 

 feeds so extensively upon this berry that the intestine and 

 the "legs, bill, throat, and even the plumage are more or 

 less stained with the purple juice." These berries are so 

 abundant that the curlew becomes exceedingly fat, and 

 forms a dainty morsel for the table of the epicure. 



The little curlew, as the Eskimo curlew is sometimes 

 designated, very closely resembles the short-billed curlew 

 in the markings of its plumage, but its much smaller size 

 is a ready means of distinguishing it. It also frequents 

 fields more commonly than the short-billed species. Not 



