22 THE CONDOR Vol. XXIII 
posed by Bishop (Auk, xxvu, 1910, pp. 59-60) and was subsequently upheld by 
Oberholser (Auk, xxxv, 1918, pp. 188-195) and by Ridgway (Bds. N. and Mid. 
Amer., pt. vill, 1919, pp. 390-395). There is some question as to the name to be 
employed for one of the supposed races (parvus of Bishop versus occidentalis of 
Woodhouse), but this is a matter outside of the purpose of the discussion in the 
present contribution. I am here enquiring as to the nature of the variation I 
find in the series of Curlew from the one place in California. Is there repre- 
sented geographic variation, in other words subspecific variation, as well as in- 
dividual and sexual variation? | 
Referring further to the material under scrutiny: All the birds are in com- 
parable plumage, as far as I can see. Wing and tail feathers are in no case so 
abraded as to leave margin for appreciable differences in measurements due to 
wear; in fact most of the plumage throughout is fresh. Molt of the body plum- 
age is plainly in progress in all of the specimens, but the primary flight feathers, 
at least, have all been completely renewed at some not far remote time. | 
There is, of course, a strong probability that both old adults, more than one 
year old, and young of the year, are included, the latter in majority. But after 
some study, I have been unable to tell from any condition of the specimens, which 
are old and which young. They all look alike. Of course there might be some 
difference in length of bill due to age; on the other hand, since the bill is, in the 
curlew, of prime importance as a food-getting instrument, it may acquire its full 
proportions in the individual very promptly. as with the bill of a duck. It seems 
likely, therefore, that as regards measurements of bill, also, all the specimens 
(taken in September and October, four to five months old at youngest) are per- 
feectly comparable. Age, then, is a factor which can safely be eliminated. 
MEASUREMENTS (IN MILLIMETERS) AND WEIGHTS (IN GRAMS) OF FIFTEEN SPE- 
CIMENS OF NUMENIUS AMERICANUS, ALL FROM VICINITY OF MORRO, 
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA 
aus: Sex eat Collector Wing Tail Culmen Tarsus Weight 
Oo. 
29645 J Sept. 21 J. Dixon 256 95.2 124.2 79.0 653.7 
29649 Ky Sept. 22 J. Dixon 248 103.3 152.3 89.7 684.8 
29650 3g Sept. 22 J. Dixon 265 108.5 118 sa35, S227 745.7 
29651 & Sept. 28 J. Dixon 264 101.2 136.1 83.1 686.0 
29653 3} Oct. al J. Dixon 261 103.3 125.2 80.9 669.1 
29654 a Oct. 1 J. Dixon io 106.5 129.7 86.2 791.6 
29658 3é Oct. 6 H. G. White 260 107.6 129.8 81.0 620.0 
Average 261.0 103.6 13229 83.2 692.9 
29644 Q Sept. 19 J. Dixon 286 106.0 201.7 89.1 838.0 
29646 Q Sept. 21 J. Dixon 215 107.1 159.6 87.8 833.0 
29647 Q Sept. 22 J. Dixon 280 106.4 161.4 87.7 902.0 
29648 Q Sept. 22 J. Dixon 290 108.6 177.6 91.2 873.0 
29652 Q Sept. 29 J. Dixon ZO Fn ekee ce 203.0 93.5 951.1 
29655 Q Oct. 2 J. Dixon 290 106.2 164.8 87.9 630.0 
29656 2 Sept. 19 J. Grinnell 277 107.0 168.2 87.2 768.0 
29657 Q Sept. 25 H. G. White 272 99.6 170.2 85.5 730.0 
Average 280.5 105.4 175.9 88.7 815.6 
Another important consideration is that none of the birds was taken on its 
breeding grounds. Morro Bay is 440 miles from the nearest point (Butte Valley, 
Siskiyou County, California) at which the Long-billed Curlew is known to have 
nested. But the species is now extinct there, and probably does not breed nearer 
to Morro than Malheur Lake, eastern Oregon, 530 miles away. Thence the spe- 
cies breeds to a maximum distance of about 1400 miles to the northeast, in south- 
ern Alberta, and to the same distance to the east, in Oklahoma and Texas. The 
California birds are all migratory, and come from some point in the breeding 
