NATURAL SCIENCES OE PHILADELPHIA. 
237 
of a common lien under similar circumstances, which cry they also utter when 
pursued. 
Their food consists almost entirely of the Crow-berry, Empetrum nigrum ,* 
which grows on all the hill-sides in astonishing profusion. It is also called the 
“Bear-berry” and “Curlew-berry.” It is a small berry, of a deep purple 
color, almost black, growing upon a procumbent, running kind of heath, the 
foliage of which has a peculiar moss-like appearance. This is their principal 
and favorite food ; and the whole intestine, the vent, legs, bill, throat, and 
even the plumage are more or less stained with the deep purple juice. They 
are also very fond of a species of small snail, that adheres to the rocks in im- 
mense quantities, to procure which they frequent the land-washes at low tide. 
Food being so abundant, and so easily obtained, they become excessively fat. 
In this condition they are most delicious eating, being tender, juicy, and 
finely flavored ; but as might be expected, they prove a very difficult job for 
the taxidermist. 
Although the Curlews were in such vast numbers, I did not find them so tame 
as might be expected, and as I had been led to suppose by previous represent- 
ations. I was never able to walk openly within shooting distance of a flock, 
though I was told it was often done. The most successful method of obtaining 
them is to' take such a position as they will probably fly over in passing from 
one feeding ground to another ; they may then be shot with ease, as they 
rarely fly high at such times. The pertinacity with which they cling to cer- 
tain feeding grounds, even when much molested, I saw strikingly illustrated 
on one occasion. The tide was rising and about to flood a muddy flat of per- 
haps an acre in extent, where their favorite snails were in great quantities. 
Although six or eight gunners were stationed on the spot, and kept up a con- 
tinual round of firing upon the poor birds, they continued t<A fly distractedly 
about over our heads, notwithstanding the numbers that evljw moment fell. 
They seemed in terror lest they should lose their accustomed fare of snails that 
day. On another occasion, when the birds had been so harassed for several 
hours as to deprive them of all opportunity of feeding, great numbers of them 
retired to a very small island, or rather a large pile of rocks, a few hundred 
yards from the shore, covered with sea weed, and, of course, with snails. 
Flock after flock alighted on it, till it was completely covered with the birds, 
which there, in perfect safety, obtained their morning meal. 
I was told that the Curlews were never seen in Labrador, except for the 
short period in the autumn. Such, however, I do not think to be the case, 
particulary as Audubon, upon good authority, asserts to the contrary. It is 
probable that the celerity and silence with which it passes northward during 
the spring migration, causes it to be partially overlooked. Its migrations are 
v ery extensive, but performed so quickly and silently that it is rarely seen south 
of the New England States. It is found in Texas ; though as far as my know- 
ledge extends, it does not breed much south of Hudson’s Bay. In Labrador 
it is known by its proper name, which, however, is invariably shortened into 
“C’lew.” Further south it is called the “Dough-bird;” but this name is 
also applied to other birds. In a great number of specimens I found consider- 
able differences in size, in the color of the under parts, which varies from 
creamy white to deep buff, and in the purity and extent of the white patch on 
the throat. These differences, however, were not indicative of sex, nor even of 
age, so far as I could ascertain. 
* “ Empetrum, Tourn. Flowers polygamous, scattered and solitary in the axils of the 
leaves, (inconspicuous) scaly bracted. Calyx of 3 spreading and somewhat petal-like 
sepals. Stamens, 8. Style very short; stigma 6-9 rayed. Fruit, a berry like drupe, 
with 6-9 seed-like nutlets, each containing an erect anatropous seed. E. nigrum, L. 
Procumbent and trailing ; leaves linear oblong, scattered ; fruit black.” — (Gray’s Manual 
of Botany, College Ed. p. 393.) 
1861 ] 
