THE CURLEW. 151 



the fowler. For if he stretches out an arm, that also 

 stretches out a wing ; if he a foot, that likewise a foot ; 

 in brief, whatever the fowler doth, the same doth the bird." 

 Mr. Heysham, in his account of this bird, says : " They 

 permitted us to approach within a short distance without 

 showing any signs of alarm ; in short, they appeared so 

 indifferent with regard to our presence that at last my 

 assistant could not avoid exclaiming, ' What stupid birds 

 these are ! ' " 



The old poet Skelton called the dotterel " that folyshe 

 pek," and Drayton, " the sottish dottrell, ignorant and 

 dull." Drayton also knew how good the bird is for the 

 table : " The dottrell, which we thinke a very dainty dish." 



In Wiltshire, when dotterels were not so scarce, the 

 bird's movements were considered prognostic of change 

 of weather : 



"When dotterel do first appear, 

 It shows that frost is very near ; 

 But when the dotterel do go, 

 Then we may look for heavy snow." 



In the early part of the sixteenth century there is a 

 notice in the " Northumberland Household Book : " 

 " Item : Dottrels to be bought for my Lorde when they 

 are in season, and to be had at id. a-pece." 



THE CURLEW. 



On the wilds of Exmoor and Dartmoor, and on most of 

 the moors of the northern counties in England and Scot- 

 land, as well as in Ireland, the CURLEW (Numenins arquata), 

 one of the Scolopax family, may be found breeding, and 

 when disturbed utters its oft-repeated plaintive cry, as if 

 you whistled the word cur-lieu. 



They are very wary birds, and difficult to get at, and 

 their warning whistle sets all other birds in the neighbour- 

 hood on the qui-vive. 



You will know the curlew " by the length of his bill," 

 as well as by his light-grey spotted plumage, large dark- 



