24 
LONG-BILLED CURLEW. 
may sometimes be enticed within gunshot, while the cries of the 
wounded are sure to detain them until the gunner has made re- 
peated shots, and great havoc among them. 
This species is said to breed in Labrador, and in the neigh- 
borhood of Hudson’s bay. A few instances have been known of 
one or two pair remaining in the salt marshes of Cape May all 
summer. A person of respectability informed me, that he once 
started a Curlew from her nest, which was composed of a little dry 
grass, and contained four eggs, very much resembling in size and 
color those of the Mud-hen, or Clapper Rail. This was in the 
month of July. Cases of this kind are so rare, that the northern 
regions must be considered as the general breeding place of this 
species. 
The Long-billed Curlew is twenty-five inches in length, and 
three feet three inches in extent, and when in good order weighs 
about thirty ounces ; but individuals differ greatly in this respect ; 
the bill is eight inches long, nearly straight for half its length, 
thence curving considerably downwards to its extremity, where it 
ends in an obtuse knob that overhangs the lower mandible, the color 
black, except towards the base of the lower mandible, where it is of 
a pale flesh color ; tongue extremely short, differing in this from the 
Snipe ; eye dark ; the general color of the plumage above is black, 
spotted and barred along the edge of each feather with pale brown; 
chin, line over the eye and round the same, pale brownish white ; 
neck reddish brown, streaked with black ; spots on the breast more 
sparingly dispersed ; belly, thighs and vent pale plain rufous, with- 
out any spots ; primaries black on the outer edges, pale brown on 
the inner, and barred with black ; shaft of the outer one snowy ; 
rest of the wing pale reddish brown, elegantly barred with undu- 
lating lines of black; tail slightly rounded, of an ashy brown, beau- 
tifully marked with herring-bones of black ; legs and naked thighs 
very pale light blue or lead color, the middle toe connected with 
the two outer ones, as far as the first joint, by a membrane, and bor- 
