HUDSONIAN CURLEW. 



JACK CURLEW. 

 NUMENIUS HUDSONICUS. 



Char. Upper parts blackish brown mottled with buff, the latter pre- 

 vailing on the wing-coverts; wings dusky; crown dusky brown, with 

 median stripe of buff ; stripe of brown on side of head ; rest of head, neck, 

 and under parts light buff ; breast spotted with brown. Length about 17 

 inches. 



Nest. Usually near the margin of a lake or stream ; a slight depression, 

 lined with grass or leaves. 



Eggs. 3-4 ; drab with a tint of green or buff, marked with several 

 shades of brown , 2.25 X i.6o. 



The Short- Billed Curlew, after passing the winter south of 

 the United States, arrives in large flocks on the coast of New 

 Jersey early in May, frequenting the salt-marshes, muddy 

 ponds, shoals, and inlets, feeding at this time on small worms, 

 land and marine insects, fry, minute shell-fish, and some- 

 times the seeds of aquatic vegetables, which it usually col- 

 lects at the recess of the tide in company with various other 



