The wary curlew, already referred to, is really a moorland 

 bird, but spends the autumn and winter by the shore, or on 

 the mud-fiats of estuaries. His peculiar cry, a shrill "^corn- 

 lie," readily distinguishes him. Added to this is his large 

 size, brown coloration, and long curved beak. On the wing, 

 the rump^and upper tail-coverts are conspicuously white. 



The " waders," sometimes collectively referred to as the 

 " plover-tribe," are represented in the British Islands by a 

 very long list of species, of which only the commonest are 

 mentioned here. Many, however, are mere casual visitors. 

 Near allies of this " tribe " are the gulls and terns. The 

 peculiarly graceful, elastic flight of these birds surely needs 

 no description. Even town-dweUers know them well. For 

 during the winter months they follow the rivers far inland. 

 Even in grimy London they may be seen in hundreds during 

 the winter months. The black-headed gull is by far the 

 commonest of these winter visitors. But at the same time, 

 to the uninitiated, the name " black-headed " must seem 

 singularly inappropriate ; for its head is emphatically white. 

 At no time, indeed, is it ever black. But keep careful watch 

 of the hosts which throng the river from January onward, 

 tiU they depart for their breeding quarters, and you will see 

 them gradually developing a dark patch on each side of the 

 head. And this slowly spreads tiU the whole head is of a 

 dark, sooty-brown. Immature birds may be picked out by 



III 



