COMMON CURLEW. 513 



nebbit things about the hiiul, but what need I care for 

 tliem ?" — and this enables us to understand the fag end of 

 a highlander*'s prayer to be saved harmless, "from witches, 

 warlocks,* and aw lang-nebbed things." 



The Curlew inhabits Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, 

 during summer. In the latter country Mr. Hewitson, and the 

 party with him, were surprised to see this long-legged bird 

 alight on the top of a pine, and frequently afterwards pass from 

 tree to tree uttering its loud note. This bird also in summer 

 visits the Faroe islands and Iceland. In an account of 

 the Faroe islands lately published it is stated that the Cur- 

 lew even winters occasionally in the most southern of these 

 islands, where the bays are never covered with ice, except in 

 the coldest years ; nor does the snow cover the ground above 

 a week at a time, and is never deep. 



The nest of the Curlew is slight : a few leaves or other 

 dry materials, carelessly brought together among long grass or 

 heath, or in a tuft of rushes, is all that appears. The eggs 

 are four in number, pear-shaped and generally placed with 

 the smaller ends together : the egg measures two inches seven 

 lines in length by one inch eleven lines in breadth, and is of 

 an olive-green, blotched and spotted with darker green and 

 dark brown. The young run almost as soon as hatched, but 

 are unable to fly for a considerable time. In confinement 

 these birds become tame enough to follow their feeder for the 

 usual meal, and Montagu observed that they could swim with 

 ease, but did not take the water without being driven. 



Besides the localities and countries already mentioned, Dr. 

 Andrew Smith brought specimens from southern Africa, and 

 the bird is found in various parts of the south of Europe. 

 Mr. Strickland includes it among the birds seen by him at 

 Smyrna, and M. Hohenackcr found it in the countries bor- 



* A warlock, or wizzard, a man who is supposed to be in compact with tlie 

 devil. Jamieson's Dictionary. 



VOL. II. 2 L 



