124 



CURLEW. 



CUCULUS (Li NNiEus.) — *Cuckoo, a genus thus characterised. Bill 

 somewhat compressed, slightly curved, and as long as the head ; nos- 

 trils at the base round, and margined by a naked prominent membrane ; 

 wings of mean length, the first quill-feather short, the third the longest 

 in the wing ; tail more or less wedge-shaped ; feet having two toes 

 before and two behind, the outer hind toe reversible, the fore toe 

 joined at the base, the hind toes entirely divided; shanks short, and 

 feathered a little below the knee.* 



CUDDY.— A name for the Gallinule. 



CULTRATE. — In the form of a bill-hook, or pruning-knife. 

 CURLEW (Numenius arquata, Latham.) 



*Scolopax Arquata, Linn. Syst. 1. p. 242. Gmel. Syst. 2. p. 655 Numenius 



Arquata, Ind. Orn. 2. p. 710. 1 Temm. 2. p. 603.— Flem. Br. Anim. p. 101. 



Numenius, Raii, Syn. p. 103. A. 1.— Will. p. 216. t. 54 Briss. 5. p. 311. 1. 



— Ib. 8vo. 2. p. 289 — Le Courlis, Buff. 8. p. 19.— Common Curlew, Br. Zool. 

 2. No. 276. t. 63.— Ib. fol. 118.— Arct. Zool. p. 462. A. — Will. (Angl.) p. 294. 

 t. 54.— Albin, 1. 1. 79.— Lath. Syn. 5. p. 119. 1.— Ib. Supp. p. 242.— Pult. Cat. 

 Dorset, p. 14.— Wale. Syn. 2. t. 133.— Lewin's Br. Birds, 4. t. 153. 



Provincial. — Whaup. * 



This species is subject to vary considerably in size, weighing from 

 twenty to upwards of thirty ounces; the length of the largest about 

 twenty-five inches. The bill is from six to seven inches long, dusky 

 black, irides hazel. The head, neck, scapulars, and coverts of the 

 wings, pale brown, each feather black in the middle, and lightest at the 

 edges ; breast and belly white, marked with oblong black spots ; lower 

 part of the back white, with a few dusky spots ; the tail and its upper 

 coverts barred with yellowish white and black ; quills black, spotted on 

 the inner webs with white ; the legs are long, of a bluish grey colour. 

 Male and female much alike. 



The Curlew is common on most parts of our coast in winter, where 

 it feeds on small crabs and other marine insects, and worms. At this 

 season it is gregarious. 



In the spring these birds retire inland, and most commonly to the 

 more northern parts of this kingdom, to breed. For this purpose, the 

 most retired situation is resorted to, either on the mountains amongst 

 the heath, or in the extensive, unfrequented marshes. We have taken 

 the young on the mountains in Northumberland, and in the low, 

 swampy grounds in the isle of Mull in Scotland. It makes no nest, 

 but deposits its eggs amongst the heath, rushes, or long grass, generally 

 four in number, of a pale olive colour, marked with brownish spots. 



*The Curlew in his natural state is so remarkably shy, that he is 

 with difficulty approached; but like other birds wholly dependent for 

 their daily subsistence, soon becomes docile. One that was shot in the 



