THE STILT-WALKERS. 



53 



off at a sleepy pace on their well-beaten track to some favourite feeding-ground, the shrill tremulous 

 call of the Curlew to his mate ha-s something in it wild and melancholy, yet always pleasing in its 

 associations. In such situations do they pair, making almost no nest, and during the commencement 

 of their amours run skulkingly among the long grass and rushes, the male rising and sailing round, or 

 descending with the wings closed above his back, and uttering his peculiar quavering whistle. The 

 appearance of an intruder requires more demonstration of his powers, and he approaches near, buffeting 

 and ' whaaping' with all his might. When the young are hatched they remain near the spot, and are for 

 a long time difficult to raise ; a pointer will stand and road them, and at this time they are tender and 

 well-flavoured , by autumn they are nearly all dispersed to the sea-coast, and have lost their clear 



THE GREAT CURLEW {A r IIMC/lins arquatus). ONE-QUARTER NATURAL SIZE. 



whistle." In disposition the Curlews are extremely cautious and shy, and for this reason constantly 

 associate with a variety of other shore birds, thus making as it were common cause against danger, 

 and frequently almost driving the sportsman to despair, by the keenness with which they detect and 

 proclaim his presence, whilst they constantly permit the near approach of such persons as they have 

 reason to know will not molest them. The nest of this species is nothing more than a depression in 

 the moss or grass, slightly lined with similar materials, and contains four large pear-shaped eggs, with 

 a lustreless, dirty olive-brown shell, shaded with brown and green, and variously marked with blackish 

 brown. The parents exhibit much attachment to their young, and probably relieve each other when 

 brooding. Insects ot all kinds, worms, mussels, small crustaceans and reptiles, fish, and many 

 varieties of vegetable produce, especially berries, are all consumed by these birds, whilst the young 

 are reared exclusively on insects. The Common Curlew is readily tamed, as the following interesting 



