ORDER GRALLX. 521 



The Little Curlew (Scol. Phceopus), in the months of 

 April and May, passes regularly in numerous troops along 

 the sea coasts, to proceed northwards. It is very rare in 

 France and Germany, but more common in Holland and this 

 ountry. It is probable, as Lewin says, that many pairs of 

 this bird remain with us, though the species generally nestles 

 in the regions of the Arctic circle and in Asia. Its eggs are 

 the same colour as those of the last, but are smaller. The 

 habits, mode of life, and sojourn of the two species are the 

 same, though they never mix together. 



Of the habits of the other curlews, we have nothing to 

 dilate on. 



We now come to the Snipes proper, beginning with that 

 well known bird the Woodcock {Scol. Rttsticold). 



This species is generally extended throughout all the cli- 

 mates, both hot and cold, in the old continent. It is also 

 found both in North and South America ; but it is every 

 where a voyaging bird, though its migrations are not in 

 general from one distant country to another, but from the 

 mountains to the plains, and from the plains to the moun- 

 tains. In Europe, during summer, it inhabits the Alps, the 

 Pyrenees, and other lofty mountains, from which it descends 

 in the month of October, and spreads through the woods of 

 the lesser hills, and even visits the plains. This passage is 

 advanced or retarded according to the weather and winds 

 which prevail in the commencement of autumn. The east 

 and north-east winds cause the woodcock more speedily to 

 change its domicile, especially when they are accompanied 

 with fogs, for these birds do not fly in the day-time, except 

 when the weather is overcast. 



Azuni tells us, that in Sardinia the woodcocks are birds of 

 passage, in the full acceptation of the word ; and that a single 

 one is not to be found in summer in the mountains of Gcnar- 

 gento, of Limbara, and A'^illanova, which may be considered 



