372 BIRDS OF SOMERSETSHIRE. 



The Curlew does not make much of a nest a hole 

 scratched in the sand or earth amongst heather or 

 rushes, and lined with a few small twigs. The young 

 birds run about almost as soon as they are hatched. 



The Curlew does not present much diversity of 

 colouring in its plumage. The beak, which is very 

 much curved downwards, is dark brown, except the 

 basal portion of the lower mandible, which is pale 

 brown; the irides are dark brown; the head and 

 neck pale yellowish brown and dark brown ; the 

 feathers of the back and scapulars dark brown, 

 almost black, margined with pale 3<ellowish brown ; 

 wing-coverts the same, except that the margins are 

 whiter ; the lower part of the back and the rump are 

 white ; upper tail-coverts pale brown, almost white, 

 marked with dark brown ; primary quills black, with 

 white shafts ; secondaries and tertials very dark 

 brown in the centre, barred with the same and light 

 smoky brown towards the edges ; chin white ; fore 

 part of the neck and breast streaked pale yellowish 

 brown and dark brown ; belly, flanks, thighs, vent 

 and under tail-coverts white, with a few dark brown 

 marks, fewest on the belly and under tail- coverts ; 

 legs and toes pale blue, becoming lead-blue a few 

 days after death ; there is a partial web on the first 

 joint of the two outer toes. 



The egg is pear-shaped, of a pale olive-brown 

 ground, spotted all over with darker olive-brown 

 and purplish brown. 



