494 BIRDS—-TANTALID A. 
protracted, and is performed with regular rapid beats. They never sail, except when 
about to alight, when the wings are much incurved downward, in the manner of most 
waders. As their feet touch the ground, their long, pointed wings are raised over the 
back, until the tips almost touch, and then deliberately folded, much in the manner of the. 
Solitary Sandpiper (Rhyacophilus solitarius). Their note is an often-1epeated, soft, 
mellow, though clear, whistle,which may be easily imitated. By this means they.can 
readily be decoyed within shot, if the imitation is good and the gunner is careful to keep 
concealed. The smaller the flock the more easily are they allured, and a single indi- 
vidual rarely fails to turn his course toward the spot whence the sound proceeds. When 
in very extensive flocks, they have a note which, when uttered by the whole number, I 
can compare to nothing but the chattering of a flock of Blackbirds. When wounded 
and taken in hand, they emit a very loud, harsh scream, like that of a common hen 
under similar circumstances, which cry they aiso utter when pursued. 
‘¢Their food consists almost entirely of the cow-berry (Hmpetrum nigrum), which 
grows on ail 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 procuibent, running kind of heath, the foliage of which has a peculiar moss-like 
appearance. This is their principai and favorite food, and the whole intestine, the vent, 
the legs, the bill, throat, and even the plumage, are mire or Jess stained with the deep 
purple juice. They are also very fund of a species of small snail that adheres to the rock 
in immense quantities, to procure which they frequent the Jand-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 representations. Iwas 
never able to walk openly within shooting distauce of a flock, though I wis 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 time. The pertinacity with 
which they cling to certain 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 upon the spot, and kept up a continual round of fir- 
ing upon the poor birds, they continued to fly distractediy abont over our heads, not- 
withstanding the numbers that every 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.” 
Of their nest and eggs, he says (Birds N. W., p. 512): 
‘¢ This species breeds in great numbers in the Anderson River region, usually making 
up its nest complement of four eggs by the third week in June. The nest is generally 
in an open plain, and is a mere depression of the ground, lined with a few dried leaves 
or grasses, The eggs vary to the great extent usually witnessed among waders. The 
ground is olive-drab, tending either to green, gray, or brown in different instances. 
