252 NATURAL HISTOBY OF 



nature). The female is much attached to her young, 

 and seeks out, with indefatigable research, the small 

 eels and fry of river fish, that are within her scope, 

 for her hungry brood ; after which she will conduct 

 them to the nest under her wings, or even, it is said, 

 upon her back. At the time of incubation, the glossed 

 down of their breasts is entirely wanting. Of this 

 bird may truly be said, what the poet has falsely sung 

 of the woodland tribe of song-birds : 



" Chaste are their instincts, faithful is their fire ; 

 No foreign beauty tempts to false desire. 

 The snow-white vesture and the glittering crown, 

 The simple plumage, or the glossy T dovvn, 

 Prompts not their love. The patriot bird pursues 

 His well-acquainted tints and kindred hues." 



The counties of Shropshire and Cheshire were for- 

 merly the most plentifully supplied with the grebe, 

 or greve. 



The Common Curlew (Scolopax arquata. Nume- 

 nius arquata}. In our enumeration of the different 

 game and water-birds of the British islands, we have 

 thought it unnecessary to class every variety of the 

 different species. Few sporting writers give correct 

 denominations to the different links of the great 

 families of British birds. They mingle the Long- 

 beak, and some of the Totani, with the Snipe family ; 

 more accordantly with the provincial customs of the 

 counties to which the particular species resort, than 

 with ornithological truth. The Red-shank, or Pool 

 Snipe is one of these ; the Common Totanus, or 



