CURLEW .—Numenius arqudta . WHIMBREL . — Numenius jphoepus. 
The Curlew, or Wiiaup, is mostly found upon the sea-shore and upon moor- 
lands, and partly on account of its wild shy habits, and partly because its flesh is 
very delicate and well flavoured, is greatly pursued by the sportsmen. These 
birds are most annoying to a gunner who does not understand their ways, having 
a fashion of keeping just out of gun range, rising from the ground with a wild 
mournful cry which has the effect of alarming every other bird within hearing, 
and flying off to a distance, where they alight only to play the same trick again. 
At first sight the Whimbrel looks something like a diminutive curlew, save 
that the bill is not so long, so thick, nor so sharply curved as in the preceding 
species. On account of this resemblance it is in some places known by the name 
of Half- Curlew and in others it is called the Jack Curlew. In the Shetland Isles 
it is known by the popular name of Tang-Whaap. 
The habits of the Whimbrel much resemble those of the curlew. 
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