278 
YERTEBRATA. 
THE CURLEW. 
of the Italians, and Keilhache of the Germans, N. arqiiatus ; the female is twenty-four inches *ong, 
the male twenty-two ; variegated above with brown, black, and white ; beneath with pale and 
dark brown and white, streaked and spotted. Its nest is carelessly made of a few leaves ; the 
eggs are four, and pear-shaped ; the young run as soon as hatched. It lives along the sea-shore, 
and feeds on worms, slugs, small testaceans, and insects ; its cry of courlie^ courlie^ has given it 
its English and French names. In Scotland it is called Whaup, which is a name for a goblin 
which is supposed to have a long beak and go about the houses after nightfall ; hence we can 
understand the Highlander's prayer to be saved from witches and warlocks and "a' long-nebbed 
things." This species is widely distributed throughout Europe, Africa, Asia, and even the Asi- 
atic and Australian Islands, visiting high northern regions in summer to breed, and moving south- 
ward as compelled by the freezing of the waters and marshes, where they obtain their food. 
Many proceed to the tropics, and others linger in more northern regions. Their flesh is excel- 
lent, and they are eagerly sought by the sportsmen, but are very difficult of approach. 
The Whimbrel, N. phceojms^ is eighteen inches long, variegated above with brown, grayish- 
black, and grayish-white ; beneath nearly v/hite. In England, it is sometimes called Half Cur- 
lew and JacTc Curlew ; geographical distribution nearly as the preceding. 
The HuDSONiAN Curlew, iV. Hudsonicus, sometimes called Jack Curlew, and also Short- 
hilled Curlew, is eighteen inches long ; above brownish-black ; beneath white, tinged with buff ; 
its nest is built on the ground ; the eggs four. It is migratory ; appears in the Middle States in 
large flocks in the month of May ; frequents the salt marshes, and feeds on small worms, land 
and marine insects, fry, minute shell-fish, and seeds of aquatic vegetables. At a later period, in 
June, accompanied by the long-billed species, it feeds on dewberries, crow-berries, &c. About 
this period it assembles from different parts of the marshes in a vast company, and moves away 
to the northern regions, usually setting out about an hour before sunset, and proceeding in a long 
angular phalanx, and cheering the way by a constant whistling. In consequence of their sympa- 
thy for each other, they readily descend at the call of their kindred, and this fact is taken advan- 
tage of by sportsmen to bring them within gunshot, by imitating their cry. During the latter 
part of August and first of September they arrive along the coast of New England and the Mid- 
dle States, now frequenting the upland pastures as well as marshes, feeding on g-rasshoppers and 
