58 THE WATER-HEN 



The CURLEW (Numenius arquata), belonging to the Grallatores 

 or Waders and family Limicolae, is characterized by the bill 

 being wholly or partially covered with a soft sensitive skin, thus 

 enabling the bird to obtain its food from mud with facility, though 

 unable to discover it by sight. The plumage is generally dull, 

 greyish-brown, rosy white and blackish, in both sexes. In Scot- 

 land the curlew is called the " whaup," its length is about 2 ft. 

 The whimbrel (Numenius phceopus) is very similar in appearance 

 and habits, only rather smaller, being about 17 in. long. Both 

 species are very shy, wary and vigilant of the approach of riian. 

 They are monogamous, nesting on tufts or tussocks in marshes 

 or on moors. The eggs are usually four, pyriform, greenish-olive 

 blotched with brown. Both parents incubate, and the young as 

 soon as hatched leave the nest to seek their own food. The food 

 consists of worms, small fishes, insects and mollusca. The curlews 

 are good food. Uniting in large flocks in winter on the muddy 

 shores of the sea and their flight being high, rapid, and protracted, 

 they cannot easily be approached within gun-shot. They utter 

 a loud, whistling note, easily recognized when once heard. 



The WATER-HEN (Galinula chloropus), Fig. 41, right-hand figure, 

 belongs to the family Rallidae or Rails, and sub-family Gallinulinse. 



FIG. 41. THE LITTLE GREBE OR DABCHICK (LEFT HAND), AND WATER-HEN 



(RIGHT HAND). 



It is rather common along the reedy banks of rivers and ponds. 

 It is a good swimmer, though not web-footed, but has the toes 

 furnished with a narrow membrane ; it also dives with great skill 

 and rapidity. The upper plumage is deep olive-brown, under 

 blackish-grey. It runs on land with considerable activity, con- 

 stantly flirting up its tail, so as to show the white feathers beneath,. 



