66 WILD-FOWL AND SEA-FOWL OF GREAT BRITAIN 



acquainted with the folk-lore of animals and birds. 

 I do not refer to scientists. 



When the Curlews feed in the turnip-fields, they 

 come to grief, for the large leaves hide the birds. 

 Not that thev are not on the look-out ; but the view 

 from the leaves is limited, a pointer and double- 

 barrel will stop a couple, or, if the shots are very 

 favourable ones, it may be more. To look at, after 

 they have been shot, they are fine brave birds ; but 

 it is their feathers that make them look large. 

 When picked, there is not much serious feeding to 

 be got from them. Wild-fowl dinners are exactly 

 like fish dinners, very unsatisfactory, and of little 

 value if you have not dined off a joint first. Any 

 healthy youngster would eat the whole of a wild 

 duck, especially if he were what the old ladies call a 

 growing lad. 



Sometimes on the bare uplands those who tended 

 the sheep made wattled enclosures to give partial 

 shelter when the winds blew keenly from the tide ; 

 if artificial shelters of some kind are not formed, the 

 sheep wander and find "loo " places for themselves. 

 When one or two Curlews got near the sheep, these 

 shelters could be used by the shooters in order to 

 make up to them, but if a companion flighted over, 

 the alarm was given instantly and off went the lot. 

 If things went on rightly, there was the crawl inside 

 the wattled hurdles, then the peep through. Yes, 

 there is a fine fellow, he appears to be picking up 

 little shell snails ; he picks something up every now 

 and again, holds his head up so that he can pass it 



