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The habits of this species are in no respect different from those of its European ally. As 

 already stated, it is migratory ; and towards the end of March or beginning of April large flocks 

 may be seen at the far north taking their departure from our country. Rising from the beach 

 in a long line and with much clamour, they form into a broad semicircle, and, mounting high in 

 the air, generally take a course due north : sometimes they rise in a confused manner, and, after 

 circling about at a considerable height in the air, return to the beach to reform, as it were, their 

 ranks, and then make a fresh start on their distant pilgrimage. The departure from any fixed 

 locality usually begins on almost the exact date year after year ; and for a week or ten days after 

 the migration has commenced fresh parties are constantly on the wing, the flight generally taking 

 place about sunset, and sometimes after dark. The flocks begin to reappear at the north early in 

 November, and then rapidly disperse along the coast. 



In some localities these birds afi'ord tolerably good shooting, although they are not much 

 esteemed for eating. When spread over the bare mud-flats in search of food they are somewhat 

 shy and wary ; but when the tide is high they consort together in large flocks near the water's 

 edge, and may then be approached under cover and killed by scores, a pot shot into their close 

 ranks, and another as the flock rises confusedly in the air generally proving very destructive. 

 "Curlew-shooting" (as it is termed in the colony) sometimes, however, becomes more legitimate 

 sport, as may be gathered from the following passage in a recent letter to ' The Field,' from a 

 New-Zealand correspondent: — " Curlew-shooting has just begun; I had a day last week (early in 

 March). The best locality for this kind of shooting is the upper part of Auckland harbour, 

 where the river Waitemata and the harbour of the Manukau are within a short distance of one 

 another. The Manukau being on the west coast and Auckland on the east coast, the tide is, of 

 course, rising in one harbour when it is falling in the other. The Curlew feed on the mud flats 

 after the ebbing tide, and the best plan is to choose the time when the flight commences from 

 one coast to the other. This is at the moment of low water at either side. At that time the 

 shooter takes up his station behind a fence and watches for the flight of Curlew. If the day be 

 stormy, so much the better ; for then the birds fly low. If the shooter has taken up a good post, 

 he will have a full hour's good fast shooting ; and this will be the case at each turn of the tide. 

 Last week was my first day this year, and in twelve shots I got nine and a half brace of Curlew. 

 This was not very good sport ; but the birds flew rather high and were not as closely packed as 



usual." 



Although the natives speak confidently of an extensive nesting-place at the Awanui, I have 

 never obtained any satisfactory proof of this species breeding with us, nor am I aware of its eggs 

 having yet been found in any other country ; so that they are at present even greater desiderata 

 with collectors than the rare and much-prized eggs of the Bar-tailed Godwit of Europe. 



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