first published in 1955New Canadian Library Edition 2010
Illustrations by T. M. Shortt
A very moving and important story.
I was shocked to learn of the slaughter of these amazing shorebirds by game hunters, specifically during the latter part of the nineteenth century, in numbers unimaginable which has ultimately led to their virtual extinction*.
* "destruction of grassland habitat by human activities" also contributed to their decrease in numbers. source: (Canadian Museum of Nature (natural history notebooks)
Eskimo Curlew (Numenius borealis)
source: Birds of America - illustration by John James Audubon (1785-1851)