NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



Curlew (Nu7nenius arquatus). (Vol. II., p. 298.) 



Description. — Male (non - breeding plumage) : above, 

 general colour pale brown with dark brown centres to the 

 feathers, giving a striped appearance to the plumage. The 

 wing coverts are dark brown edged with white. The primaries 

 are blackish, the outer ones with white shafts, the inner web 

 notched and barred with white. Inner primaries and secondaries 

 notched with white. Rump and upper tail coverts white, there 

 being a few streaks of brown on the latter. Tail white, with 

 about nine transverse bars of brown. Below white, the 

 sides of the face, neck, and breast having narrow shaft marks of 

 brown. Iris brown. Bill brown, shading to black at the tip. 

 Legs and feet lead-grey. 



Lengthy 23.5 ; wing, il.O ; tail, 4.25. 

 The female is larger than the male. 



Distribution. — The curlew is found throughout Northern 

 Europe and Asia. It migrates to South Africa and India 

 during the northern winter. In South Africa it occurs chiefly 

 along the coasts, being rarer inland. 



Habits. — The curlew is generally found in small flocks 

 along the seashore and banks of tidal rivers. Here it searches for 

 its food, which consists for the most part of marine insects, 

 Crustacea, and worms. It is extremely shy and wary, and 

 will seldom allow sportsmen to approach within gunshot range. 

 The curlew does not nest in South Africa, but in England it is 

 found nesting on the moors among the heather. It lays 4 

 eggs. These are pear shaped, and olive-green blotched with 

 brown in colour. 



Avocet {Recurvirostra avocettd), or Bonte Elsje, 

 Sprinken Vogel. (Vol. II., p. 303.) 



Description. — Black and white, as in the illustration. Iris 

 reddish. Beak black. Legs black with a leaden hue. 



Lengthy 18.0 ; tail, 3.25 ; wing, 8.25. 

 The sexes are alike in colour and markings. 



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