CURLEW 417 



on the great mud-flats and sands round the coast and 

 rivers of Kent. 



Mr. W. H. Power, writing in 1865, says : "I noticed 

 that Whimbrels became more numerous towards the 

 latter end of April and beginning of May in the Eainham 

 district. They did not stay long, however, soon leaving 

 us for their breeding grounds. They returned again in 

 the autumn rather before the Curlew, viz., about the 

 end of July, and they became very common towards 

 October, when the greater number left us. A few, 

 however, generally remain during the winter." 



Captain Boyd Alexander met with it on the " Lydd 

 beach on September 9, 1896, for the first time." Mr. 

 T. Hepburn, on May 13, 1900, " picked up a recently 

 shot specimen in Romney Marsh near Dungeness." Mr. 

 R, J. Balston met with it on the lower Medway. 



Specimens in the British Museum were obtained in 

 Romney Marsh in May, August and September, by Dr. 

 R. B. Sharpe. 



CURLEW. 



Numenius arquata (Linnaeus). S.N., i., p. 242 

 (1766). 



Whaup. 



This wild and clamorous bird returns to the large 

 sands and mud-flats on the coast and estuaries of Kent in 

 small parties in April and May, remain but a short time, 

 and then go north. On their southern migration they 

 may be found in great flocks massed on the large mud- 

 flats early in August and September, and if the season be 

 27 



