188 scolopachve. 



In dark and stormy nights curlews are unwilling to undertake 

 the flight described, aDd seek the sheltered creek within the 

 Kinnegar of Holywood. "When lying in wait for them here, at 

 such times, I have remarked them come and alight with silence, 

 their distrust being at the same time evinced by the slightest 

 noise, — as the snapping of a gun, — driving them away. 



With reference to the cautious fear manifested by the curlew, 

 it may be added, that once, on a calm bright day, I observed four 

 of these birds alight during high water at the edge of the tide, 

 where they were out of range of shot from the shore ; but, being 

 alarmed, though without cause, they flew out and alighted in the 

 water, where it was so deep that their legs were entirely concealed 

 from view : had I not seen them on wing and alighting, they 

 would have passed for Natatores. Of the caution (?) of the 

 curlew we have an amusing instance in the bird kept by Colonel 

 Montagu. After selecting the worms from the bread-and-milk, 

 in which they were served up to induce the captive to partake 

 of the latter food also, it carried all off to the pond, and washed 

 them well, before venturing to swallow any. 



Mr. Selby, in his ' Illustrations of British Ornithology/ and 

 Sir Wm. Jardine, in a note to his edition of Wilson's ' American 

 Ornithology/ have each, from Ins own observation — and in terms 

 manifesting an ardent love of nature — dwelt upon the instinct of 

 the curlew ; but in both works it is the flight from the sea to 

 inland stations, not to marine rocky islets, that is mentioned. 

 In neither work is there any difference alluded to, as in the pre- 

 ceding instances, on the different manner of the birds going to and 

 returning from the sea. By the latter author it is observed, that 

 they fly in a direct line to their feeding-grounds ; but in Belfast 

 Bay, though the distance would be much shorter over land, their 

 going and returning flights are invariably above the sea. On the 

 opposite side of the bay, however, where the highly improved 

 farms of some of the gentry present enclosures so large that the 

 centre of them is beyond the reach of gun-shot from any fence, 

 the curlew resorts, preferring meadow or pasture land, and re- 

 maining, as on the marine islets, just so long as the tide may 

 be in receding from their feeding-quarters in the estuary. In 



