108 
long drought, and was overrun with unusual quantities of ants and 
grasshoppers, we were visited by thousands of these birds, which 
remained many days devouring these pests. Though the locust- 
birds are excellent eating, no one ever thinks of destroying them ; 
and they are so fearless that, though I often rode or ran amongst 
them to test their tameness, only a few in my immediate vicinity 
would rise, the rest continuing to feed ; but every ten minutes or so 
the whole mass would rise of their own accord and fly, first a few 
yards to the right and then to the left, in a slanting direction, pre- 
senting alternately a black and white wave of birds some miles in 
length, a sight never to be forgotten by the spectator. 
265. GLAREOLA PRATINCOLA. 
Common PRATINCOLE 2... °<s.< ss “VOL. EV. Pi Maia 
An accidental visitor to the British isles. 
Family TANTALIDA, 
Genus FALCINELLUS. 
966: FALCINELLUS IGWEUS © 66 2 6g 4. Mol. TVA XLV, 
Guossy Isis. 
This bird has a wide range, being found in Europe, India, Africa, 
and Australia. Accidental in Britain. 
Family SCOLOPACID A. 
Under this family name I shall, like Mr. Harting, include many 
forms of strand- and marsh-loving birds, beginning with the Curlews 
and ending with the Snipes. 
Genus NuMENIvs. 
The birds of this form will be found described in all general 
histories of birds under the trivial name of Curlews and Whimbrels. 
One or other of the species are distributed over every country of the 
entire globe. In Britain we have two very distinct kinds, to which 
a third, a straggler from America, has just been added ; here, how- 
ever, it will only receive a passing notice. 
967. NUMENIUS ARQUATA . : . . 2. s » Vol. LV. PL Ravi 
CurRLEW. 
Resident and universally dispersed. Lives much on the sea-shore 
during winter, and in summer resorts to heathery hills and wastes 
for the purpose of breeding. 
