318 
PR2EC0CIAL GRALLATORES — LIMICOLA1. 
tlie ground, and were usually mere depressions lined with a few withered leaves. The 
eggs, four in number, were found between the 20tli of June and the 10th of July. These 
nests were found in about 70° north latitude, but were comparatively rare ; they were 
usually placed near small lakes or streams : this, however, was not always the case. 
Eggs of this species in the Smithsonian Institution, from Mr. MacEarlane (No. 
9428), have a ground-color of a creamy drab. The markings are irregular spots of a 
dark umber tint, with larger spottings of a slaty brown around the greater end. 
These measure, one, 2.40 by 1.57 inches ; the other, 2.38 by 1.59 inches. Another 
set (No. 14101) have a similar ground, but the markings are larger, less numerous, 
and of a paler shade of brown ; these measure 2.21 by 1.G5 inches. 
Numenius borealis. 
THE ESKIMO CURLEW. 
Scolopcix borealis, Forst. Phil. Trans. LXII. 1772, 411, 431 (Albany Fort). 
Numenius borealis, Lath. Ini. Orn. II. 1790, 712. — Sw. & PiiCH. F. B. A. II. 1831, 378, pi. 65. 
— Nutt. Man. II. 1834, 101.— Aud. Orn. Biog. III. 1835, 69; V. 1839, 590, pi. 208 ; Synop. 
1839, 255 ; B. Am. VI. 1843, 45, pi. 357. — Cass, in Baird’s B. N. Am. 1858, 744. — Baird, 
Cat. N. Am. B. 1859, no. 551. — Cores, Key, 1872, 262 ; Check List, 1873, no. 443 ; 2d ed. 
1882, no. 646 ; Birds N. W. 1874, 510. — Ridgw. Norn. N. Am. B. 1881, no. 560. 
Numenius brevirostris, Light. Verz. Doubl. 1823, 75. 
Numenius microrliynchus, Phil. & Landb. Wiegm. Arcliiv, 1866, 129 (Chili). 
Hab. Eastern Province of North America ; breeding in Arctic districts, where extending from 
the Prybilof Islands (not breeding) to Greenland ; migrating south to the extremity of South 
America (Falkland Islands, Patagonia, Chili, and S. Brazil); no West Indian record, but noted 
from Bermuda and Trinidad (Leotaud). Occasional in Europe. Not recorded from Western 
North America. 
Sp. Char. Adult : Crown dusky, streaked with buff, but without distinct mesial stripe ; a 
dusky stripe of aggregated streaks on side of head, from bill to and behind the eye ; rest of head, 
neck, and entire lower parts light buff, the cheeks and neck streaked, the breast, sides, flanks, and 
crissum with Y-shaped markings of dusky brown; axillars and lining of the wing pale cinnamon, 
the former narrowly barred with dusky. Upper parts spotted dusky and buff, the wing-coverts 
more grayish brown, with dusky shaft-streaks ; primaries, including their inner webs, plain brown- 
ish dusky. Rump and upper tail-coverts spotted dusky and light buff. Tail brownish gray, barred 
with dusky. 
Wing, 8.00-8.50 inches; culmen, 2.25-2.50; tarsus, 1.70-1.80; middle-toe, 1.00. 
In plumage, this little Curlew closely resembles N. Huclsonicns, but has the inner webs of the 
primaries finely and confusedly mottled, instead of being marked with very distinct and regular 
ochraceous spots ; the breast with transverse Y-sliaped markings instead of linear, longitudinal 
streaks, while there are other differences, besides the important one of size, which readily dis- 
tinguish them. 
