248 NUMENIUS ARQUATA. 



proceeds, looking carefully around. Now from the surface 

 he picks up a snail, of that small kind named Helix erice- 

 torum, which, raising his head, and moving it rapidly back- 

 wards and forwards, at the same time slightly opening and 

 (losing his mandibles, he gradually brings within reach of 

 his tongue, when he swallows it. There he has dragged a 

 worm from the sand, and again has obtained a small crab or 

 insect. But now two others have come up ; they are all 

 within range ; let me fire : — there they are, two dead, the 

 other with broken wing runs off screaming loudly. Curlews, 

 Plovers, Redshanks, Dotterels, Ducks, and Snipes, all rise, 

 and move to a distance corresponding to their fears, the 

 Curlews flying out of sight, the Snipes coming back to the 

 same spot, and the Plovers alighting about two hundred 

 yards off. 



The Curlew is extremely shy and suspicious, so that at 

 this season, unless by some stratagem or accident, one can 

 very seldom obtain a shot at it. In Harris, I once shot three 

 from a cattle-fold in the manner described above. On another 

 occasion, having a musket with large shot, I let fly at one 

 feeding in a field as I was passing, hit it in the wing, and on 

 measuring the distance found it to be seventy-five yards. In 

 the Hebrides I have heard it said, that to kill seven Curlews 

 was enough for a life-time ; but one, by lying among the 

 rocks on a point frequented by them, might, I doubt not, 

 shoot as many in less than a week. This method, however, 

 I have never tried, it being much more pleasant to be moving 

 about than lying jammed into the crevice of a cliff. When 

 alarmed they spread out their wings, run rapidly forward 

 some paces, and springing into the air, uttering their loud 

 cries, fly off at a rapid rate. When looking for food they 

 generally walk sedately, — unlike the Redshank, which is con- 

 tinually running, stooping, or vibrating, — but sometimes run. 

 Dry pastures, moist ground, and shallow pools are equally 

 frequented by them, and they may be seen wading in the 

 water up to the tarsal joint. 



Towards the end of March they generally leave the 

 shores, where they have resided in flocks from September, 

 and separating in pairs, betake themselves to the interior, 



