SLENDER-BILLED CURLEW. 59 



characters sufficiently strong to counterbalance the 

 difference in the organic structures of the beak and 

 wings, observed in diiFerent varieties of this species, 

 especially the former, from the long thin character of 

 which it takes its name. 



Of the habits of this interesting bird, M. Dubois 

 ("Op. Cit,") remarjcs: — "They live sometimes in the 

 neighbourhood of running water, at others in that of 

 stagnant water, but they rarely frequent the shores of 

 the sea. It is worthy of notice that the flocks daily 

 leave the water to spread themselves out among meadows 

 and uncultivated fields, where they remain until they 

 are obliged to return to the water, without which they 

 could not live, as they drink a great deal, and frequently 

 bathe. They are very shy. Their flesh is esteemed in 

 Italy as a delicacy." 



Of its occurrence in Malta, Mr. Wright says, in a 

 private letter, — "It arrives here on migration in the 

 spring and autumn; in both seasons I have shot it 

 on Fort Manvel Island, whose low and muddy shores 

 form one of the most attractive resorts for waders of 

 all kinds during their passage. It also passes with 

 other of the Scolopacidce in July. I have noticed con- 

 siderable variation in the size and length of , the bill, 

 (doubtless arising from age.) All those I have shot 

 were single birds, but they are also sometimes observed 

 to pass in flocks." 



"They nest in meadows and heaths. They make a 

 slight excavation, which they line with pieces of grass 

 and a little moss. They lay from three to four eggs." 

 These eggs are, according to Degland, "of a milky 

 white, or white, shaded with yellow, marked with 

 brown dots and irregular spots of brown and ash-colour, 

 larger and more numerous at the greater end. In 

 some the spots are confluent." Great diameter five 



