62 
XUMENIUS IIUDSONICUS. 
company with various other waders, and at high watf* 
roam along the marslies. Tiiey dy liigli and with grre»‘ 
rapidity. A few are seen in June, and as late as tli'' 
beginning of July, n heu they generally move oft’ toworJ* 
the north. Their appearance on these ociaisions is vet} 
interesting : they collect together from the marshes 
if by premeditated design, rise to a great height iu th< 
air, usually about an hour before sunset, and, forininJ 
in one vast line, keep up a constant whistling on tlici' 
march to the north, as if conversing with one another 
to render the journey more .agreeable. Their ilight >’ 
then more slow and regular, that the feeblest may keep 
up with the line of march, while the glittering of thei^ 
beautifully speckled wings, sparkling in the sun, 
duces altogether a very pleasing spectacle. 
In the month of June, while the dewberries are rip^' 
these birds sometimes frequent the fields, in compauf 
with the long-billed cnrleu’s, where bnambles abouD“' 
soon get very fat, and are at that time e.vcellent eatin?: 
Those who wish to shoot them, fix up a shelter ^ 
brushwood in the middle of the field, and by that meal'- 
kill great numbers. In the early part of spring, a«‘' 
indeed during the whole time that they fretiueut tl'*^ 
marshes, feeding on shell fish, they are much le-* 
esteemed for the table. 
Pennant informs us, that they were seen in florh' 
innumerable on the hills about Chatteux Bay, on tb' 
Labrador coast, from August the 9th to Se|)tcmber fitb' 
when they all dlsa])peared, being on their way fro"' 
their northern breeding place. lie adds, “ they kep! 
on the open grounds, fed on the empetnem nifjrum, 
were very fat and delicious.” They arrive at Hudson’- 
Bay in April, or early in May, — pair aud breed to th' 
north of Albany Fort among the wood.s, — return 
August to the marshes, — and all disapj'ear in Se])tcl>'j 
her.* About this time they return, in accumubib’® 
numbers, to the shores of IVew Jersey, whence tb'-’/ 
finally depart for the south early in November. 
Philosophical Transactions, Ixii, 411. 
