192 SCOLOPACIDE. 



OR A LLA TORES. SC 'OLOPA CIDj E: 



PLATE CLXXVI 



CURLEW. 



NUMENIUS ARQUATA. 



The Curlew is of frequent occurrence in Britain, not only 

 on the sandy sea-coast, but, during winter, on flooded mea- 

 dows along the banks of rivers and ditches. In our neigh- 

 bourhood (Chertsey) we hardly ever go out in winter in 

 search of birds, but we are greeted by the shrill note of this 

 visitant, while it repeats its own name (curlew, curlew /) in a 

 tone approaching very near to a whistle. The distribution of 

 this bird is very general over Europe and Asia, particularly 

 along the sea-coasts : it is also found on the northern coast of 

 Africa ; and, according to most ornithologists, it is met with in 

 the East Indies. Temminck informs us that it is captured in 

 Japan and the Indian Archipelago. Many travellers have 

 seen the curlew in summer in very high northern latitudes, 

 such as Siberia, Norway, and Lapland. 



The Curlew is migratory, inasmuch as it travels northward 

 to breed in the spring, and returns southward in autumn to 

 pass the winter in more temperate climes ; but some individuals 

 remain the whole year with us, where the locality suits them. 

 During its migration the Curlew journeys in small flocks of 

 from five to ten over the midland counties, but along the 

 coast in larger numbers, according to circumstances ; flock 

 after flock uniting as they pass over the ground. They gene- 



