A Peculiar Hudsonian Curlew. — I had supposed that a Curlew with a 
bill less than 3 inches in length might safely be put down as an Eskimo, 
but it seems that this is not the case. A bird was shot at Northeast 
Harbor, Me., September 5, 1912, by Mr. Lynford Biddle of Philadelphia, 
which was supposed by several persons who saw it in the taxidermist’s 
shop to be an Eskimo Curlew. Upon writing to Mr. Biddle for inform- 
ation he very kindly presented the specimen to the Academy of Natural 
Sciences of Philadelphia. It proved, as he himself had determined it, to 
be a Hudsonian Curlew ( Numenius hudsonicus) but with the bill, which 
appeared perfectly normal in other respects, only 2.25 inches in length. 
This is three quarters of an inch shorter than the minimum given in 
Ridgway’s ‘ Manual,’ and exactly equals the minimum for the Eskimo Cur- 
lew. This incident emphasizes the importance of making a careful ex- 
amination of supposed Eskimo Curlews and not depending too much 
upon bill measurements. — Witmer Stone, Academy of Natural Sciences, 
Philadelphia. ^ Hk 30. April . 1913. p. 270. 
