CURLEW. 



NUMENIUS ARQUATA {Lirm,). 



Scolopax arquata. Linn. S. N. i. p. 242 (1760). 



Numenius arquata, Naum. viii. p. 478, xiii. p. 248 ; Macff. iv. 



p. 243 ; Hewitson, ii, p. 322 ; Yarr. ed. 4, iii. p. 499. 

 Numenius arquatus, Dresser, viii. p. 243. 



Le Courlis, French ; Brachvogel, German ; Zarapito real, 

 Spanish. 



This well-known bird nests on open moorlands in 

 several counties of England, most of those of Scotland, 

 and throughout the great bogs and uncultivated districts 

 of Ireland and Wales. The greater part of our home- 

 bred Curlews find their way to the sea-coast in 

 September, many come to our country across the North 

 Sea, and in certain favourite localities on the shores of 

 the three kingdoms more or less of these birds may be 

 found throughout the year. I have always considered 

 an old and experienced Curlew as the most wary of my 

 bird acquaintances, but the young, when they first come 

 down from the moors, may often be circumvented by 

 stalking, and are well worth powder and shot. In 

 Northamptonshire I look upon this species as a bird of 

 double passage ; a few pass up the valley of the Nenc 



