PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS of THE ROYAL SOCIETY of LONDON giving some ACCOUNT of the present undertakings, studies and labours of the INGENIOUS in many considerable parts of the world. VOL. LXII for the year 1772.
Article xxix.
An account of the birds sent from Hudson’s Bay; with observations relative to their natural history; and Latin descriptions of some of the most uncommon. By Mr. J. Reinhold Forster, F.R.S.
From the factory at Hudson′s Bay, the Royal Society were favoured with a large collection of uncommon quadrupeds, birds, fishes, &c., together with some account of their names, place of abode, manner of life, uses, by Mr. Graham, a gentleman belonging to the settlement on Severn River; and the governors of the Hudson′s Bay Company have most obligingly sent orders, that these communications should be from time to time continued.
(The birds described by Mr. Forster being all introduced into Mr. Latham′s ornithological volumes, under the same titles, it becomes unnecessary to give the Latin descriptions, which are therefore omitted from these transactions.)
1. Falco Columbarius. Pigeon hawk. It is migratory. 2. . . . 3. . . . 4. . . .
18. New species. Scolopax Borealis. Eskimaux curlew. This species of curlew, is not yet known to the ornithologists; the first mention made of it is in the Faunula Americae Septentrionalis, or Catalogue of North American Animals. It is called Wee-kee-me-nase-su, by the natives; feeds on swamps, worms, grubs, &c. Visits Albany Fort in April or beginning of May; breeds to the northward, returns in August, and goes away southward again the latter end of September in enormous flocks.