80 NATURAL HISTORY IBirds. 



GENUS XVIL—TRE CURLEW. 



Gen. Char. — Bill slender, long, incurvated : face covered with feathers ; nostrils 

 linear, longitudinal near the base ; tongue short, and sharp-pointed ; toes con- 

 nected, as far as the first joint, by a membrane. 



Species 1. — The Curlew. 



fVil. Orn. 294. Raii Syn. Av. 103. Scolopax Arquata, Lin, Sys. 242. Brit. 

 2ool. 346. tab, 8. Numenius, sive Arquata, Sib. Scot. J 8. tab. 12. fig. 1. 

 Ore. Major, Stock-Whap ; minor, Little-Whap. 



The Curlew is one of the waders which is most frequent 

 about these shores ; found all round the country in flocks ] 

 builds in all our most retired hills, such as Hoy, Walls, the 

 hills of Harra, &c. &c. ; lays very large eggs ; an early breeder, 

 like most of the waders, the brood on the wing in July. 



The larger curlew, called here Stock-Whap, differs some- 

 thing in its colours from the lesser ; the head and neck are 

 much browner, whereas in the little one they are grayish and 

 spotted ; the bill, feet, and in other respects they agree, ex- 

 cept the size ; but whether this is sufficient to constitute a 

 specific difference I much doubt, though they are always dis- 

 tinguished by our rural philosophers, — but they commonly ex- 

 amine by the bulk ; 



For what is worth in any thing, 

 But just as much as it can bring ! 



