The Black-tailed Godwit 



country are chiefly sought for in marshes near the shore. 

 In the autumn plumage the general colour is ash brown above 

 and greyish below. There is a conspicuous white wing bar, 

 and the tail feathers are mostly black with white bases. 

 In spring they have the mantle brown, mottled with 

 black; head, neck and breast pale chestnut, the latter being 

 barred with black. The female is considerably larger and 

 rather duller than the male. The young in their first 

 autumn resemble their parents, but have the neck and 

 upper breast tinged with buff. Length 16 in. ; wing 9 in. 



THE CURLEW 



Numenius arquata (Linnaeus) 



The Curlew is an abundant resident throughout the 

 United Kingdom. In the winter it is essentially a shore- 

 bird, moving about in large flocks, which may be found in 

 the meadows and pasture-lands near the coast ; these flocks 

 journey to the shore twice daily to feed on the mud or rocks 

 left bare by the ebbing tide. In April it leaves the coast to 

 nest on the heath-covered moors, and though it breeds in 

 larger numbers in Scotland it is well distributed in the 

 north and west of England and Ireland. 



The nest is a shallow " scrape " with hardly any lining, 

 and is placed among the heather or in a grass field. The 

 four eggs are very pyriform in shape and are olive green in 

 colour blotched with brown ; the duties of incubation are 

 undertaken by both sexes. It is extremely wary, rising on 



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