slowly, now quickens, reaching its climax as the bird, raising 
its wings above its back for an instant, finally alights on the 
ground. But he has yet other wiles, which are not used in 
mid-air. Approaching his mate with his head erect and body 
drawn up to its full height, he raises his wings for an instant 
high above his head: then allowing them gradually to droop, 
he vibrates them, at the same time rapidly moving his legs 
like a soldier ‘“‘ marking time.” 
The curlew seems to prefer the evening for his best efforts. 
Rising from the ground with rapid wing-beats, he will 
“check”? suddenly when near the summit of his ascent ; so 
suddenly as almost to throw himself backwards. Then, 
recovering, he will hang poised, kestrel-like, in mid-air, and 
pour forth a joyous thrilling, or jodelling, song. Rising and 
falling, on quivering wings, or sweeping round in great circles, 
and hovering again, he will remain for some considerable time 
pouring forth this joyful ripple of song. 
The courtship flight of the lapwing is even, if possible, 
more interesting. Rising from the ground with slow heavy 
flaps of his broad wings—which, it is to be noted, present a 
remarkable difference from those of the female, in that the 
primaries are much longer, so as to give this portion of 
the extended wing a conspicuously broader appearance—as 
though he had difficulty in getting under way, he speedily 
dissipates this impression by a sudden upward rush, an 
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