. The aquatic birds of Great Britain and Ireland . nesting-quarters on exten-sive bogs and elevated moor-lands in our Isles. For someweeks later in the spring, flocks of considerable size,pushing further north to breed, may be seen passmg alongour sea-board. The nest, which is nothing more than aslight hollow scraped in the ground, is frequently situatedon the grass-covered portions of bog-lands or on the hill- There is a peculiar turn in the Curlews whistle, which very fewpersons can properly imitate. 364 CHAEADEIID^ side, where it may be found amid the shelter of a heather-tuft. I have disco
. The aquatic birds of Great Britain and Ireland . nesting-quarters on exten-sive bogs and elevated moor-lands in our Isles. For someweeks later in the spring, flocks of considerable size,pushing further north to breed, may be seen passmg alongour sea-board. The nest, which is nothing more than aslight hollow scraped in the ground, is frequently situatedon the grass-covered portions of bog-lands or on the hill- There is a peculiar turn in the Curlews whistle, which very fewpersons can properly imitate. 364 CHAEADEIID^ side, where it may be found amid the shelter of a heather-tuft. I have discovered it on the bare ground on amountain in co. Mayo. In some instances the nest issparsely lined with small bits of sticks and withered bog-lands in Ireland, as pointed out by Mr. Ussher,many pairs breed in close proximity, though not assemblingin colonies. The eggs, four in number, are olive-green,thickly spotted and blotched with brown. Incubationbegins towards the end of April. AVhen the breeding-haunts are intruded upon, especially. Fig. 49.—TiEFT FOOT OF CURLEW. ^ Nat. size. when the young are running about, the parent-birds arebold to a degree, and will brush past the head of anintruder, at the same time uttering shrill, menacing cries. The Curlew breeds in many counties in England, mostnumerously in the north, also in some of the midlands,and more sparingly in the south-western section. In the CUELEW 365 south-east of England it occurs chiefly on migration. InScotland and Ireland it nests freely on the great bogs andniountain-rauges. Gcofirapliical distribution.—Abroad, this species breedsover the greater part of Northern Europe (omitting Icelandand the Faroes, where its near ally the Whimbrel breedsnumerously), also in Germany, Denmark, Holland, Poland,and Xorthern France. Eastward, with slight racial differ-ences, it is found nesting in the western section of Northernand Temperate Asia. During the southern migration in autumn and winter,the Curlew is comm
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectwaterbi, bookyear1906
