WATER BIRDS. 207 
mounted specimen in the collection of the Michigan Agricultural College, 
obtained from Mr. Peter Lepp, Saginaw, Mich., which he says was taken 
in the fall of 1896, just outside Saginaw City. It was “leading a flock of 
Golden Plover” and the only bird of the kind in the flock. We havea 
second specimen taken by Albert Hirzel, at Forestville, Sanilac county, 
April 23, 1906. There is also a mounted specimen (No. 20261) in the 
ee Scientific Museum, Grand Rapids, marked as local, but without other 
ata. 
In Indiana, according to Butler, it is much rarer than the Long-billed 
Curlew. In Wisconsin, according to Kumlien and Hollister, “it has 
certainly been decidedly rare during the past thirty years, even in migra- 
tions, and we have not seen a single specimen for twelve years” (Birds of 
Wisconsin, 1903, 52). 
The species nests only in the far north, and its eggs are pale olive, spotted 
with brown, and average 2.27 by 1.57 inches. 
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 
Adult: Top of head brownish black, with a median stripe of buffy or grayish white; 
a similar but broader light stripe from bill over eye to nape, bounded below by a dusky 
loral and post-ocular stripe; chin and upper throat white or whitish, without markings; 
rest of throat, neck and breast grayish or buffyiwhite thickly streaked with brownish 
black, the sides, flanks and under tail-coverts barred with the same; belly mostly unspotted; 
back and scapulars brownish black, spotted with buffy white, the wing-coverts similar but 
the lighter color predominating; primaries sharply barred on inner webs with buffy white 
and dusky; the axillaries buffy or cinnamon, sharply barred with blackish; upper mandible 
brown, lower mandible yellowish, especially toward base. Sexes alike, and seasonal changes 
slight; young of year hardly different from adults. Length 16.50 to 18 inches; wing 9 to 
10.25; culmen 3 to 4; tarsus 2.25 to 2.30. 
113. Eskimo Curlew. Numenius borealis (Forst.). (266) 
Synonyms: Little Curlew.—Scolopax borealis, Forst., 1772.—Numenius brevirostris, 
Licht., 1823.—Numenius borealis, Lath., 1790, and authors generally. 
Known by its close resemblance to the Hudsonian Curlew, but the 
strongly decurved bill is still shorter, averaging only 2} inches; the general 
tone of the plumage is also more reddish. 
Distribution.—Eastern North America, breeding in the Arctic regions, 
and migrating south throughout South America. 
Formerly this curlew was more abundant and better known than either 
of the others. It appeared in large flocks during migration, and frequented 
dry fields and such situations as are preferred by Golden Plover. It was 
much hunted for its flesh, which was considered superior to that of the other 
curlews. Up to about 1890 it probably occurred with more or less regularity 
both spring and fall, and there are several well attested records of its capture. 
According to Gibbs (MS. List) B. F. Syke secured a female on the north 
marsh at Kalamazoo, October 28, 1879. It was the only one seen. In 
a letter to Dr. Gibbs the late W. H. Collins of Detroit said “It is quite 
common in Detroit markets spring and fall. Two specimens taken at St. 
Clair Flats in the spring of 1883; have had a number.” 
In northeastern Labrador, where this species formerly collected in 
immense numbers in the late summer and early fall, they almost totally 
disappeared in 1894, and have been very rare ever since. Up to 1894, 
they had remained in large numbers in spite of the persecution to which 
they were subjected (Bigelow, Auk, XIX, 1902, 29). At present the 
species seems to be on the verge of extinction, possibly the last one has 
