190 WOODCOCK. 



and new continent. They subsist on worms, insects, and 

 the smaller kinds of reptiles. 



Curlew. During the winter season, these birds are by 

 no means uncommon on the sea-coasts of various parts of 

 the south of England. They associate in flocks, and 

 utter, during their flight, a peculiar cry or whistle, from 

 the sound of which their name has been derived. They 

 run about upon the sands, for the purpose of picking 

 up marine insects, worms, small crabs, and shell-fish, on 

 which they feed. In the early part of the summer they 

 retire to the mountainous parts of the country, where 

 they pair and breed. Their eggs are four in number, of 

 a pale olive-colour, marked with irregular but distinct 

 spots of brown. Their flesh is sometimes rank and fishy, 

 notwithstanding the old English adage respecting their 

 value. 



" The Curlew, be she white or black, 

 Carries twelvepence on her back." 



The bill of the Curlew is blackish, curved, slender, and 

 six or seven inches in length. The legs are somewhat 

 blue. The upper part of the plumage is varied with ash- 

 colour and black. The rump, chin, and belly, are white. 

 The quill-feathers are black, spotted with a few white 

 strokes. The toes are flat and broad. 



Woodcock. These birds are migratory. They gene- 

 rally arrive in England, from the northern parts of 

 Europe, towards the latter end of October ; and con- 

 tinuing here through the winter, take their departure 

 about the beginning of March. In only a very few 

 instances, they have been known to breed in this 

 country. Their nests are formed on the ground, gene- 



