2-t 



On the Curlew in South Africa. 



north and brave out the European winter ; possibly they are 

 young birds in a backward state o£ development in respect 

 of family instincts. 



The Curlew has no domestic duties in South Africa, and we 

 can say their numbers markedly increase during November, 

 while early in February they begin giving us their farewell 

 cries.^ It is then they set out to those distant lands above 

 mentioned— any how, at that time of the year, one may know 

 they have started night-flights by hearing their short plaintive 

 calls long after sunset. We are under the impression they 

 travel south-westwards along the coast, but do not positively 

 assert they do, because it is quite possible the distant signal- 

 whistles ascribed to the retiring flocks really proceeded from 

 individuals approaching the listener, but generally the faint 

 call from the west seems answered nearest overhead. 

 Gilbert White, who was usually very apt in his descriptions, 

 somehow saw nothing inappropriate in writing of the 

 " Curlew's clamourings," but that is a word which may have 

 passed through a shade or two of meaning since his day. 



The Curlew seems to reach Britain in March and breed in 

 the counties of the moors. We have read somewhere that 

 along with the Lapwing they were directed by an ancient 

 Scotch Act of Parliament to be destroyed as " ungrateful 

 birds that came to Scotland to breed and then return to 

 England with their young to feed the enemy.'' But the 

 great majority on migration only make of England a half- 

 way house of refreshment, as it has been called, where they 

 recuperate for a still further flight, at the same time discov- 

 ering their affinity in a mate, and thereafter streaming off 

 to nesting-homes in northern latitudes. They are sai'd to 

 leave the south of England when the ice breaks in the 

 Tundra 2000 miles away, achieving this in one night at an 

 average of 250 miles per hour and arriving at their destination 

 fresh as a daisy ! -This looks more like the behaviour of a 

 projectile, and not the possible exploit of any avian aviator; 

 yet there are ornithologists who say thev can prove this. 

 But this is not all ! When the first broods are two months 

 old they are despatched south-west to where their parents 



