CURLEAV. 



COMMON CURLEW. WHAAP. WHITTERICK. 

 PLATE CLXIV. — FIG. II. 



Numenius arquata, .... Pennant. 

 Numeniics major, ..... Stephens. 

 Scolopax arquata, .... Montagu. 



The nest of tliis bird, if any be made in some 

 slight hollow, consists only of a little dry grass, twigs, 

 or leaves, or is placed in the middle of a tuft of the 

 former, among heather or rushes. 



The eggs, laid in April and May, are four in number, 

 and they differ much both in their ground colour and 

 the spots. They are of a pale dull green, blotted all 

 over with two shades of brown, and are very large 

 for the size of the bird. They are placed quatrefoil in 

 the nest, the narrow ends inwards. The young run 

 about almost as soon as hatched, but are not able to 

 fly for a considerable time. Until then they are assidu- 

 ously attended to by their parents. If approached, they 

 hide themselves among the inequalities of the ground, 

 and lie very close, the old birds endeavouring the while 

 to attract the enemy away. 



