THE CURLEW. 
189 
their silent return over the lofty trees which border the bay, we 
witness their most interesting placid flight, when the wing is kept 
at full stretch, but motionless, except an occasional beat for the 
onward impetus. What a graceful skim through the air they 
take before alighting ! presenting such a contrast to the wild 
upturning flight and harshly reverberating cry, which makes the 
welkin ring, as we come suddenly upon them in the far retired 
and crater-like hollows of the mountains. 
Sept, 11, 1839. — I have often remarked, as I did to-day, dif- 
ferent species of our Grallatores, — curlews, redshanks, knots, 
dunlins, &c. — when disturbed by being perseveringly fired at, 
take to the air, and call with all their might, as if to summon every 
individual of their species within hearing ; then mounting high 
into the atmosphere, and continuing to call so long as within audible 
distance, they betook themselves in the direction of Strangford 
Lough. Thither do they also go when a very high spring tide 
covers the whole beach, so as to leave them no resting-place from 
their enemy — man. It is not because their feeding- ground is 
entirely covered that they thus depart ; for the same species, 
with the exception of the curlews and whimbrels, are content to 
await, close at hand, the falling of ordinary tides. The dunlins, 
ring dotterels, and redshanks, taking up their quarters within 
Thomson's embankment ; herons and curlews (in part) in the 
large fields of Tort-William, Parkmount, &c. ; and all these (ex- 
cept the herons), with other species, may be seen on the slightly 
raised promontories or jutting-points of Holywood rabbit-warren. 
During high water is their time of rest, as I have often, on such 
occasions, been much pleased by witnessing their varied attitudes 
of repose. All, however, do not close their eyes ; for, as in the 
case of bipeds of a different order ^ 
“ Some must watch while others sleep ; 
Thus — runs the world away !” 
Its Food . — The curlew is considered by shooters both a night 
