146 BRITISH BIRDS’ EGGS. 
COMMON CURLEW. 
NumENIvs arquatus, Linn. 
Pl. XXL, fig. 6. 
Geogr. distr.—Throughout Europe and Asia down to South Africa ; 
also found in the islands of the Indian Archipelago. Always to be met 
with in Great Britain, and therefore partially resident. 
Food.—Insects, worms, Crustacea, Mollusca, and fish. 
Nest.—A mere grassy tussock. 
Position of nest.—On level marshy or undulating moors and 
sheep pastures near water. 
Number of eggs.—4. 
Time of nidification.—IV-V. 
In his ‘ Sketches of Bird Life,’ Mr. Harting says that the 
Curlew depends more upon the sense of sight than that of 
hearing to save itself from its enemies, and therefore it is 
sometimes attracted within shooting distance by the use 
of a trained red-coloured dog, as nearly as possible 
resembling a fox. The birds will frequently chase such a 
dog, which gradually draws nearer to its master, and thus 
enables him to obtain the desired shot. The note of the 
Curlew is, Mr. Harting says, the loudest of any of our 
grallatorial birds ; its usual cry is ‘‘ cou-r-lien, cour-leu,” 
and it also has a cry resembling “wha-wp,’ which has 
earned it, in Scotland, the popular name of Whaup ; but 
when pairing its note is softer—‘ whee-ou, whee-ou.” 
On the sandy parts of the coast this bird feeds largely on 
cockles, and has been known to swallow the shell entire. 
In the ‘ Zoologist’ for 1882, p. 216, Mr. E. Cambridge 
Phillips says :—'‘' 1 once saw a Curlew make a very deter- 
mined attack on an old Carrion Crow that was probably on 
the look-out for one of its young ones. The Crow stood no 
chance against the Curlew with its grand free flight, and 
was soon beaten off and pursued until both were close 
to me.” 
According to Hewitson, the nest of this species, when 
there is any, consists of a few pieces of dried grass collected 
together in a hollow in some tuft of the same material.”— 
(Ill. Eggs. Brit. Birds, vol. ii., p. 285.) 
