NUMENIUS, Lath. Cuv. Tern. SCOLOPAX, Lin.
Bill long, slender, arched, compressed, point hard and slightly obtuse, upper mandible projecting beyond the lower, rounded at the end, and channelled through three fourths of its length ; nostrils lateral, linear, and pierced in the chasm ; face covered with feathers; legs slender, naked above the knee, the three fore-toes united by a membrane as far as the first articulation ; the hinder arti culated to the tarsus, and touching the ground. This fa mily of birds, which some have confounded with Ibis, and others with Scolofiax, is well characterized. The indivi duals belonging to it frequent the neighbourhood of wa ters and marshes. Their food principally consists of earth worms, insects, slugs, and testacea. Their flight is lofty and well sustained. They migrate in large flocks, but live in an insulated state, during the breeding season. In ge neral they are very shy. They moult only once a•year, and the circumstances of age and sex produce no very marked differences in their appearance. We owe prin cipally to M. Temininek the clear extrication of this group.
arquata, Lath. Tem. Scolonax arquata, Lin. &c. Common Curlew, TIThaan of the Scots, and Stock Whaap of the Orcadians. General plumage clear, cinereous, with brown longitudinal spots on the neck and breast ; belly white, with longitudinal spots; feathers of the back and scapulars black in the middle and edged with rufous, and the tail whitish-cinereous, striped with transverse brown bands. The upper mandible is black-brown, and the un der flesh-coloured ; the iris is brown ; and the legs are deep cinereous. The female inclines rather more to cinereous, and has the rufous tints less pure ; and the young of the first year arc distinguished by the shortness and•very slight curvature of the hill. This species is liable to vary con siderably in size, weighing from twenty to upwards of thirty ounces, and the length of the largest reaching to twenty-five inches. The bill is generally from five to six inches long; but Mr. Donovan alludes to an instance of one which measured ten inches, and was preserved as a curiosity. The instrument is admirably fitted for picking worms, small crabs, &c. out of the sand, and is, at the same time, successfully used as a weapon of defence against the shield-drake, and even against the common gull. The curlew occurs throughout the old continent, the specimens sent from India being perfectly similar to those of Europe ; but, in America, there is either a variety or a distinct species, which is rufous and black, and has a smaller body and longer bill.
The usual haunts of the common curlews arc sea-shores and the neighbourhood of rivers and fenny grounds; but they also visit inland heaths and moors, especially in spring, when they breed, and for which purpose they re sort to the most retired situations, either on the moun tains, among the heath, or in extensive and unfrequented marshes. In the north, they are found in Russia, Siberia, Kamtschatka, &c.; and, in the south, in Italy, Greece, and Egypt. In France, they abound in the countries watered by the Loire; and they breed on the banks of that river, or among the heaths, and downs. They make no regular nest, but deposit their eggs, which are generally four, and of a pale olive, marked with brownish spots, among the heath, rushes, or long grass. The young make use of their legs as soon as they are hatched, but cannot fly for a considerable time. In winter they congregate along our shores. They run swiftly, but stem to commence their flight with some difficulty. Though naturally very shy, they soon become docile in confinement. One that was shot in the wing was turned among aquatic birds, and was at first so extremely shy, that he was obliged to be cram med with meat for a day or two, when he began to eat worms ; but, as this was precarious fare, he was tempted to partake of bread and milk, like ruffs. To induce this substitution, worms were put into a mess of bread, mixed with milk; and it was curious to observe how cautiously he avoided the mixture, by carrying every worm to the pond, and washing it well, previously to swallowing it. In the course of a few days this new diet did not appear un palatable to him, and, in little more than a week, he be came partial to it, and, from being exceedingly poor and emaciated, got plump, and in high health. In the course of a month or six weeks this bird became quite tame, and would follow a person across the menagerie for a bit of bread or a small fish, of which he was remarkably fond ; nor did he reject water lizards, small frogs, insects, and even barley, with the ducks. According to some, the flesh of the curlew is of a very fine flavour, whilst others talk of it in very different language ; and the fact is, that it has a delicate or a fishy flavour, according as the bird feeds on inland or maritime products. The American variety, which is very common on the coasts of Labrador, is observed to fatten on the crow and whortleberries, of which it is very fond, and which impart to it a nice flavour of game.