348 



NATURAL HISTORY. 



Family III . . . Scolopacidrc. (Gr. 2/coAo7ra, a Woodcock. Wood- 



cock-kind.) 

 Sub-family a. . Limosince. 



CRACTICORNIS. (Gr. 



o^, clamorous; opvie, a bird.) 



Arquatus (Lat. arched), the Curlew. 



The CURLEW or WHAUP is often found in the northern parts 

 of England and Scotland, and is spread over the whole of the 

 Old World, from South Africa to the polar regions. In winter 

 it collects in large flocks at the muddy shores of the sea, where 

 its long curved bill can easily penetrate in search of food. It 

 is an exceedingly shy bird, and difficult to approach within 

 gunshot. 



Its nest is composed of grass and rushes, collected under the 

 shelter of a tuft of heath or grass, and contains four greenish 

 olive eggs blotched with brown. The length of the bird slightly 

 exceeds two feet. 



