122 OUR RESIDENT BIRDS 



brown. Tail wedge-shaped and white. Bill, cere, and 

 legs yellow. Length 33 in. Female similar, but larger ; 

 36 in. Young, at first covered with greyish white down ; 

 later with dark brown, mottled with fulvous brown on 

 mantle and wings. Tail dark brown. Plumage of this 

 species variable. 



Language. A loud yelp-like " queek-queek-queek." 



Habits Much like the Golden Eagle, but it feeds 

 more readily on carrion. It pounces on basking fish. 



Food. Mammals, birds, especially sea-birds ; fish, 

 refuse, and carrion found on the sea-coast. 



Nest. April. One brood. 



Site. On some inaccessible ledge of the sea-cliffs, or 

 in trees. 



Materials. Sticks, seaweed, &c., lined with grass, 

 wool, moss, &c. 



Eggs. Two or three. Dull white, and unmarked. 



COMMON CURLEW (Numenius arquata). 



More numerous on our coast-lines in autumn and 

 winter. Breeds in most of the south-western counties, 

 Wales, North of England, Scotland, and Ireland. 



Haunts. Hilly and moorland districts in the breeding 

 season. 



Plumage. Generally reddish ash, mottled with dusky ; 

 rump white ; under parts pale brown, streaked with 

 dusky brown ; whitish on belly. Tail insignificant, and 

 barred with dark brown and dull white. Bill long, 

 curved down, and dark brown, yellower at base. Legs 

 and feet bluish grey. Length 21 in. Female, rather 

 larger. In winter, plumage paler, and under parts 

 nearly white. Young, similar, but washed with buff 

 below. Nestling : brownish grey above, mottled with 

 sooty black ; lighter grey below. 



Language. A shrill " curlui " or " cour-lie." 



Habits. In disposition very timid, and on the slightest 



