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LONG-BILLED CURLEW, OR SICKLE-BILL. NUMENIUS LONGIROSTRIS.

HABITS AND DESCRIPTION.

THIS variety of Curlew is larger than the preceding species, but not perhaps as numerous; it is a beautiful and noble-looking Bird. The habits of the Sickle-Bill are much the same as those of the Short-Billed; they frequent the salt marshes and sea-shore about the same time as the other Bird, and we are surprised to learn from Mr. Giraud's work, that numbers of them remain on Folly Island, near Charleston, during the season of nidification, for the purposes of procreation.

"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

LONG-BILLED CURLEW, OR SICKLE-BILL.

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lower mandible; the color black, except towards the base of the lower, where it is of a pale flesh color; tongue extremely short, differing in this from the Snipe; eye dark; the general color alone 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 reddishbrown streaked with black; spots on the breast more sparingly dispersed; belly, thighs, and vent pale, plain rufous, without any spots; primaries black on the outer edges, pale-brown on the inner, and barred with 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 bordered along the sides with a thick warty edge; lining of the wing dark rufous, approaching a chestnut, and thinly spotted with black. The male and female alike in plumage, &c."

This Bird resembles somewhat the English Curlew (Scolopax Aquata), but the difference in the plumage and length of the bill is sufficient to mark it as a distinct species. The English Curlew weighs about the same with the American; the bill, however, is two inches shorter. During the season of Brambleberries, the Curlews sometimes desert the marshes and fens, and resort to the old fields to partake of this fruit, and are then free from that strong sedgy taste that they acquire while feeding on fiddlers, snails, shell-fish, and other strong food.

These Birds, like all their congeners, are very shy and hard to approach; they are often shot down when in company on the sand flats with other less wary fowls; they are easily decoyed while flying by imitating their whistle, with which most of our Coast-Shooters are familiar, and can draw them a considerable distance from their course by sounding their expressive notes. All our Sea-Birds should be fired upon while going from us, as they are more easily killed by striking them with the feathers than against them.

The Long-Billed Curlew requires a very hard rap to bring him down, and will often carry off several large pellets with him. They generally fly very high, and with great velocity, and, when in companies, adopt the wedge form, like Ducks.

These Birds are pursued upon our coast like other Sea-fowls, either in boats or by tramping over the marshes. A pit dug

in the marsh adjoining some favorite feeding-ground or point is an excellent plan to shoot all kinds of Bay-fowl.

Another variety of Curlew, known as the Doe Bird, is often shot by the Bay-Shooters; it is smaller than either of the two preceding varieties; it is also termed Jack Curlew; its habits are the same, and it associates with the other two species.

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THIS Bird is well known to most of our Sportsmen, and is eagerly sought after wherever he makes his appearance. Plovers return from the South early in May, and remain but a short time upon the sea-coast; they then retire to the high upland districts to breed and rear their young, and during this season they feed upon berries, grasshoppers, and various insects, and become very fat and good-flavored. At this time, more particularly, they are known as the Old Field Plover, or Whistling Plover. Towards August or September, in company with the young Birds, they resort to the sea-shore, and soon become sedgy from the change of food. The plumage of the young Bird is quite dissimilar to that of the adult Bird, even so much so that they are frequently considered a distinct species, and are then known as the "Bull or Beetle-Headed Plover."

Ployer generally fly high, and keep up an incessant whistling, which is easily imitated, and the Birds decoyed within gunshot. They are very shy, and extreme care is requisite to approach them. When on the sea-shore, they may be shot by the same artifices resorted to for the killing of Curlews, or other SeaBirds. When on the open plains, where they are still more difficult to be got at, to approach them by means of a stalkinghorse is an excellent plan, and is recommended as the most successful mode of killing them.

A most capital manoeuvre, and one adopted by some of our sporting friends in the country, is to approach them in a careless manner, either in an old wagon or cart, or on horseback, as they seldom take alarm, either from a horse or vehicle of any description.

Plovers require a very hard rap to bring them down. This species is known in England.

As soon as the cold weather sets in, these Birds move off to the South.

DESCRIPTION.

"This species is twelve inches long, and twenty four inches in extent; the bill is thick, deeply grooved on the upper mandible, an inch and a quarter in length, and of a black color; the head and globe of the eye are both remarkably large, the latter deep bluish-black; forehead white; crown and hind head black, spotted with golden yellow; back and scapulars dusky, sprinkled with the same golden or orange-colored spots, mixed with others of white; breast, belly, and vent, black; sides of the breast whitish; wing-quills black; middle of the shafts white; greater coverts black, tipped with white; lining of the wing black; tail regularly barred with blackish and pure white; tail coverts pure white; legs and feet a dusky lead color; the exterior toe joined to the middle by a broad membrane; hind toe very small.

"From the length of time which these Birds take to acquire their full colors, they are found in very various stages of plumage. The breast and belly are at first white, gradually appear mottled with black, and finally become totally black. The spots of orange, or golden, on the crown, hind head, and back, are at

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