442 



THE NATURE BOOK 



but take a little trouble to examine their 

 exposed surfaces, and to seek the many 

 interesting fossil treasures which they 

 contain. Journeying on, for instance, 

 from Luhvorth to L^Tne Regis, we should 

 come to the wonderful Lias formation, 

 and from the fossil remains reconstruct 

 the story of those blue-black clay chffs, 

 and of the strange marine and terrestrial 



saurians which lived during the period 

 of their formation. And so the longest 

 holiday or sojourn by the sea need never 

 have a dull or uninteresting hour, for 

 when we cannot hunt for the countless 

 treasures of Neptune's Kingdom we 

 may wander along the cliffs and glean 

 the many marvels of their story. 



F. Martin Duncan. 



HOW TO KNOW THE BIRDS 



By the REV. MAURICE C. H. BIRD, M.A., M.B.O.U. 



With Photographs by 

 RICHARD AND CHERRY KEARTON 



THE WADERS— II 



EVEN more watchful and wary than 

 the amber-eyed Heron is the weird- 

 voiced and crafty Curlew. Indeed, 

 to be able to stalk successfully a lone 

 Curlew is to have arrived at the acme of 

 perfection in the exciting sport of shore 

 shooting. Generally these dark and pale 

 brown and white birds — about the size of 

 a Wood Pigeon, though differing much in 

 size according to sex and age — standing 

 high on the leg, and with elongated sickle- 

 shaped beak, are to be met with on the 

 sea-shore or mudflats in flocks. Some- 

 times several hundred herd together. In 

 changing their feeding grounds, or when 

 flying inland to await the turn of the tide, 

 they frequently arrange themselves, after 

 the manner of wild-fowl and the larger 

 Gulls, in wedge-shaped formation. \Mien 

 their ample wings are extended, on rising 

 from the ground, the clear white rump 

 patch is effectively displayed. " Whaup " 

 is another phonetic name given to the 

 onomatopoetic Curlew, but the latter de- 

 signation is a better aid to identification — 

 the sad, waihng tone, in which the more 

 famihar word is uttered by the loudest 

 voiced of British shore-birds, being un- 

 mistakable. The frequency of its nightly 

 complainings amidst dark and lonely 



surroundings gave rise to much ancient 

 folk lore. In May the Curlews that 

 remain here retire for the purpose of 

 nesting to the moorland, and scatter 

 themselves over the wildest and most un- 

 frequented districts. 



During the months of August and 

 September is the best time for observing 

 all shore-birds, as they are then intent 

 on migration, and have many young and 

 inexperienced indi\'iduals amongst them. 

 They are then not only more numerous 

 on our coast-line than at any other season 

 of the year, and more easy of approach, 

 but there is then the best chance for the 

 ornithologist to meet with a rare acci- 

 dental visitor amongst their ranks. 



Very similar in shape, plumage and 

 habits, though smaller in size than a 

 Curlew, is the Whimbrcl. It is to be dis- 

 tinguished at close quarters by the darker 

 plumage and much darker head ; the 

 two dark marks on the crown are divided 

 by a very pale centre stripe, much after 

 the similarly situated plumage of the 

 Snipe. The call-note of the Whimbrcl, 

 " tetty-tetty-tet," quiveringly uttered, and 

 repeated several times, has given it the 

 local nickname of " Titterel." A remem- 

 brance of this fact will assist in the 



