i84 THE GAME BIRDS AND WILD FOWL 



birds not visiting the breeding grounds, but remaining behind in 

 the usual winter haunts. Curlews are the very essence of wariness 

 — the shyest and the easiest alarmed birds upon the coast, and 

 perhaps the most difficult to stalk. On bare ground it is simply 

 impossible to get near them, and the only way to make a success- 

 ful shot is to station oneself on their usual line of flight, and take 

 one's chance as they fly over on their way to and from their feeding 

 grounds. Sometimes odd birds may be successfully stalked whilst 

 feeding amongst the rocks at low water, but the process is a rough 

 and tedious one, and the gunner may well be proud of his bird if 

 he be fortunate or skilful enough to creep up and make a lucky 

 shot. When feeding the birds are seldom still, but run and walk 

 about searching the sand and rocks close to the waves for their 

 food, and all the time sentinels seem ever on the watch to sound 

 the warning note which sends the big speckled birds hurrying away 

 to safer haunts. If fired at, the flock often rises to a good height 

 and flies about in a restless manner, the birds calling to each other 

 all the time. When on regular flight a flock of these birds usually 

 assumes the shape of the letter V, and as they pass along at great 

 speed the leading bird from time to time drops out of position, 

 and its place is taken by another in turn. During moonlight 

 nights when the state of the tide admits, the Curlew is as active 

 as by day, and feeds on the flats and saltings ; and even during 

 summer on the inland moors their wild, mournful notes may be 

 heard through every hour of darkness. The flight of this bird is 

 rapid and strong, the neck is outstretched, and the long legs are 

 pressed close to the body and extend beyond the tail. The long 

 wings are beaten with great speed and regularity, but very often just 

 before the bird alights they are held stiff and expanded. I have 

 often noticed that this species runs a httle way with wings half 

 open before rising into the air. It is frequently seen to wade in 

 the shallows, but never, I think, swims unless wounded, and it has 

 been known to perch in trees. The usual note of the Curlew is 

 very characteristic, a shrill, far-sounding airlcL\ cur-lee ; and during 

 the breeding season it also utters a very peculiar ripphng note, 

 almost like bubbling water, which may be expressed as wiw-i-wiw- 

 i-wiw, rapidly repeated. For the greater part of the year the 

 Curlew is more or less gregarious, and also associates with many 



