a | 
692 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 
Omanbondé, Otjimbinque, and Hykomkap on the River Swakop; 
those which I have observed were always solitary and were feeding 
on the sedgy borders of marshy places or sluggish streamlets. Their 
food consists of small insects.” 
Upper parts, brownish-grey, shot with greenish, aud with a slender 
black streak along the shaft of each feather; forehead, chin, throat, 
and chest, white, mottled finely with grey streaks and spots; under 
parts, and bar along the wing, pure white. Length, 9” (of which the 
bill is 1’ 9”, and curved upward) ; wing, 4” 9”; tail, 2” 3’”. 
Fig. Dresser, B. Eur. viii, pl. 557. 
666. Numentus arcuatus, L. Common Curlew. 
The Curlew is not uncommon on our sea-border throughout its 
whole extent. It maintains its characteristic shyness, and rarely 
falls to the gun of the sportsman. We never heard of its breeding 
in the colony, though it is found here throughout the year. We 
met with it up the whole east coast, as far as the Line, Schlegel 
separates our South African species from the European bird on : 
account of its size, and calls it Nuwmenius major. Mr. Rickard has , 
observed it near Port Elizabeth and East London. Mr. Ayres { 
observes: ‘There are great numbers of these birds in the Bay of t 
Natal ; and I think there are two or three species, as they vary much 
in size. They are exceedingly shy, and difficult to shoot; they are } 
gregarious, and feed at low water on the mud-banks; they utter : 
precisely the same note as the Curlew in England, and their habits j 
appear to be the same.” Single examples were occasionally met 
with by Majors Butler and Feilden and Captain Reid, near New- 
castle, in September and October. Mr. F. A. Barratt obtained one 
specimen near Potchefstroom, and observes that he has never seen 
it farther north. Writing from the Transvaal Mr. Ayres remarks: 
“‘This is a very scarce bird in these parts, two specimens were 
seen last year (1876) of which I have procured one. I did not hear ; 
either of them utter the usual ery of the Curlew: both were silent.” 
Mr. T. C. Buckley observed it on one occasion in the Transvaal. 7 
Mr. Andersson says: ‘ ‘I'he common Curlew is sparingly met with in 
the interior of Damara and Great Namaqua Land, but is more 
frequent along the coast and in the islands. It is most commonly 
seen in pairs, but at times in small flocks. It is an exceedingly wary 
bird, and, from the open character of the localities it frequents, often 
