LONG-BILLED CURLEW. aiq 



ostrich. They seem to occupy the place of the tertials. The 

 legs and naked part of the thighs are black, very thick and 

 strong ; the hind toe seems rarely or never to reach the hard 

 ground, though it may probably assist in preventing the bird 

 from sinking too deep in the mire. 



LONG-BILLED CURLEW. (Numenius longirostris.) 



PLATE LXIV.— Fig. 4. 



Peale's Museum, No. 3910. 



NUMENIUS LONGIROSTRIS. —Wilson. * 



Numenius longirostris, Bonap. Synop. p. 314. — North.. Zool. ii. p. 376. 



This American species has been considered by the naturalists 

 of Europe to be a mere variety of their own, notwithstanding 



* Wilson had the merit of distinguishing and separating this species 

 from the common curlew of Europe, and giving it the appropriate name 

 of longirostris, from the extraordinary length of the bill. It will fill in 

 America the place of the common curlew in this country, and appears to 

 have the same manners, frequenting the sea-shores in winter, and the 

 rich dry prairies during the breeding season. Numenius arquata, the 

 British prototype of N. longirostris, during the breeding season is en- 

 tirely an inhabitant of the upland moors and sheep pastures, and in 

 the soft and dewy mornings of May and June forms an object in their 

 early solitude which adds to their wildness. At first dawn, when no- 

 thing can be seen but rounded hills of rich and green pasture, rising 

 one beyond another, with perhaps an extensive meadow between, look- 

 ing more boundless by the mists and shadows of morn, a long string of 

 sheep marching off at a sleepy pace on their av ell- beaten track to some 

 more favourite feeding ground, the shrill tremulous call of the curlew to 

 his mate has something in it wild and melancholy, yet always pleasing 

 to the associations. In such situations do they build, making almost no 

 nest, and, during the commencement of their amours, run skulkingly 

 among the long grass and rushes, the male rising and sailing round, or 

 descending with the wings closed above his back, and uttering his pecu- 

 liar quavering whistle. The approach of an intruder requires more 

 demonstration of his powers, and he approaches near, buffeting and 

 whauping with all his might. When the young are hatched they re- 

 main near the spot, and are for a long time difficult to raise ; a pointer 

 will stand and road them, and at this time they are tender and well 



