CUBLEW. 135 



the wings, and dropping nearly to the ground, then sweeping 

 up once more a little, and then settling down. They often 

 stand on one leg, or rest themselves by lying down. 



They make their food in winter of small marine insects, 

 crabs, and other minute Crustacea; mollusks, worms, and other 

 such; and when the flowing tide covers the sand where these 

 are to be procured, they retire inland even to a considerable 

 distance; but as soon as ever the ebbing waves have again 

 retired back so far towards their fixed gaol as to leave the 

 sandy margin again uncovered, back, almost to a moment, 

 do the flocks return, taught by some sense which is out of 

 the range of sight, but which 'He that planted the eye' has 

 likewise implanted, as He has every other proper gift in His 

 creatures, according to their several need. In summer they 

 pick up flies and different insects, in addition to such of the 

 other kinds of food enumerated here, as may then come in 

 their way; and also bilberries, whortleberries, lichens, blades 

 of grass, and the tender tops of twigs. They drink often, 

 and are fond of bathing themselves. 



The loud, clear whistle of the Curlew is exceedingly pleasant 

 to such as delight in those retired scenes in which it is heard, 

 and with which, as I have said, it so well harmonizes. It 

 is uttered by the bird when on the wing, and its name I 

 suppose has been considered to resemble it. It may be heard 

 high in the air during migration, and also in the spring, 

 at which season the male serenades his mate, rising slowly 

 aloft, and wailing out his quivering cry. If an intruder 

 approaches the nest, or its intended site, he is assailed by 

 both birds, who dash at him with noisy screams, and beat 

 about him within a few yards. They also, if driven to a 

 distance and there followed, endeavour to entice their enemy 

 away further by running and skulking in a deceptive manner. 



The nest, if any be made in some slight hollow, consists 

 only of a little dry grass, twigs, or leaves, or is placed in 

 the middle of a tuft of the former, among heather or rushes. 



The eggs, laid in April and May, are four in number, and 

 they differ much both in their ground colour and the spots. 

 They are of a pale dull green, blotted all over with two 

 shades of brown. They are very large for the size of the 

 bird. They are placed quatrefoil in the. nest, the narrow ends 

 inwards. The young run about almost as soon as hatched, 

 but are not able to fly for a considerable time. Until then 

 they are assiduously attended to by their parents. If 



