Family CHARADRIID^. Genus Numenius. 



Subfamily Totaninm. 



COMMON CURLEW. 



NUMENIUS ARQUATUS— (Zz«;2«2/x). 



Geographical Distribution.— ^«V2>/4 .• Breeds on most of 

 the moors and mountains of the British Islands, and on some of 

 the heaths and wild lands in less romantic districts, as for instance, 

 in Wilts, Hants, Lincolnshire, and the Isle of Man. Its breeding 

 grounds extend from the highlands of Cornwall to the "moors" 

 of Devon, and the hills of Somerset and Dorset. Thence north- 

 wards through the Welsh mountains and adjoining uplands, 

 through the Peak and the entire Pennine chain to the Cheviots. 

 North of the Border suitable districts increase and it becomes even 

 more widely distributed, extending to the Outer Hebrides, the 

 Orkneys, and the Shetlands. The same remarks apply to Ireland, 

 where it is equally generally dispersed. In winter it seeks the 

 coasts, and is then widely distributed on all parts of the sea-board 

 suited to its needs, including the Channel Islands. Foreign: 

 Western Patearctic region ; Ethiopian region in winter. Acci- 

 dental visitor to Iceland and the Faroes. Summer resident in 

 Scandinavia, and breeds in Russia as far north as Riga in the 

 west, and the Volga basin in the east. Southwards it breeds in 

 Poland, North Germany, Denmark, and Holland, and is said to 

 do so in Flanders and Brittany ; in the east on the Kirghiz and 

 Caucasian steppes. Passes Europe south of these limits, Asia 

 Minor, and Persia on migration, and winters throughout Africa, a 

 few remaining (immature birds) in the extreme south after the 

 adult birds have left for their northern haunts. It is an occasional 

 wanderer to the Azores. 



