Ii8 
WADING BIRDS. 
LONG-BILLED CURLEW. 
SICKLE-BILL. 
Numenius LONGIROSTRIS. 
Char. Upper parts mottled gray, black, and pale rufous, — rufous 
being the prevailing tint ; under parts pale cinnamon, the neck and breast 
with dusky streaks ; secondary quills rufous, primaries brownish black; 
bill black ; legs brownish black. Length about 25 inches.^ 
A'est. On the ground, sometimes in wet meadows ; a slight depression, 
lined, sparingly, with grass. _ , 
Egi;s. 3-4 (very variable in size, color, and markings) ; olive drab to 
pale^buff, thickly speckled and blotched with brown, sometimes spotted 
with lilac also ; average size about 2.60 X 1.80. 
The Long-billed Curlew is seen in the marshes of New Jer- 
sey about the middle of May on its way farther north, and 
in September or the latter end of August on its return from 
its breeding-places. How far south it retires in the course 
of the winter, has not been ascertained ; but a few, no doubt, 
winter in the marshes of South Carolina, as I have observed 
specimens on the muddy shores of the Santee, near Charleston, 
in the month of January. Its southern migration in all proba- 
bility is bounded by the shores of the Mexican Gulf. Like 
most species of the genus, it retires into the desolate regions 
of the North to breed. Dr. Richardson believes that it fre- 
quents the plains of the Saskatchewan and the Columbia at 
this season, and it is known to visit the neighborhood of 
Hudson Bay. In Major Long’s expedition it appears that 
some of these birds were observed as far inland as the Illinois, 
latitude 42°, on the 15th of June, — which might be supposed 
about the time of breeding. According to Wilson, a few in- 
stances have been known of one or two pairs remaining in the 
salt-marshes of Cape May the whole summer ; and they were 
believed to nest there on the ground, laying four eggs in size 
and color much resembling those of the Clapper Rail. In- 
deed, it will probably be found that many birds now supposed 
to pass the period of reproduction in the remote regions of 
