190 HILL BIRDS OF SCOTLAND 



For instance, it is recorded that the inhabitants of Shetland, 

 who regard the Curlew as possessing supernatural qualities, 

 will not think of touching its flesh. A visitor to the 

 Islands who was daring enough to do so was alluded to 

 afterwards as " The man that ate the Whaup." 



The Curlew is a bird with a wide range. It is, indeed, 

 found through most of Europe and Asia, right down to 

 the south of Africa, and to the Islands of the Indian Archi- 

 pelago. It is abundant in Scandinavia during the nesting 

 season, but is unknown, I believe, in Iceland and Green- 

 land. It nests in the Baltic provinces of Russia and on 

 the west coast of Denmark. It breeds also in Brittany, 

 in Belgium, Holland, the northern provinces of Germany, 

 in Bavaria and in Austria. In winter the Curlew ex- 

 tends its range to Africa, where it is found in Cape Colony 

 and Natal, also in Madagascar. It is the Asiatic-nesting 

 birds which are found in winter along the Indian Ocean. 



In these Islands the Curlew nests as far south as Devon 

 and Cornwall, but is perhaps most numerous on the 

 Border Counties, where it is one of the most abundant 

 birds during the nesting season. Nowadays, on the moor- 

 lands of Aberdeenshire and Banffshire the Curlew abounds 

 during the spring and summer months, but I believe that 

 a century ago the birds were unknown to nest in these 

 districts. At this time also no Curlew bred on the Outer 

 Hebrides. In Orkney and Shetland it is found through- 

 out the year. 



In Ireland the Curlew is common, and it is also plenti- 

 ful in Wales, where suitable ground occurs. 



Description. — The Curlew is a distinctive bird, liable 

 to be confused only with the Whimbrel, but may be identi- 

 fied by its larger size, also by the call note, which is quite 

 different to that of the latter species. The plumage is 

 brown and striated, and there is only a slight seasonal 

 change in the colourings on the feathers. The sexes 



