184 THE CURLEW. 



at a distance from salt marshes, are highly esteemed 

 as food, having none of that marshy taste, which is so 

 disagreeable in those taken near the sea shore. 



These birds, during the autumn, assemble in flocks, 

 and are seen flying high in the air, generally in the 

 form of the letter V, now and then uttering a loud 

 whistling note. They fly with great swiftness, and 

 when about to light, make several whirls around the 

 spot, before their descent to the ground. 



The Curlew migrates during the month of October, 

 towards the south, and spends its winter in a warm 

 climate. 



We have already mentioned several striking instan- 

 ces of the adaptation of the forms of birds to their 

 peculiar modes of life, and perhaps there is not in this 

 respect, a more striking instance than that of the 

 Curlew. 



In general, it is the law of nature in the formation 

 of birds, and especially the Waders, that long legs 

 should have long necks, to correspond with them. 

 Were this not the case, it is obvious that the form 

 would be very defective and inconvenient, since the 

 elevation of the body, without a neck of sufficient 

 length to reach the ground, would prevent the bird 

 from gathering its food. In the Curlew, the legs are 

 quite long, but the neck is short, and as a compensa- 

 tion for what might at first be considered a defect, 

 the bill is lengthened out to such an extent, as to seem 

 out of all proportion to the other parts ; and it is in 

 consequence of this disproportion, that the bird is 

 enabled to reach the ground and gather his food. 

 But the shortness of the neck, instead of being a, de~ 



