The Curlew begins to leave the coast for more or less inland haunts in March, scattering over most of our swampy moorlands and rough higher grounds to breed. The eggs are laid during April and May. The nest is invariably made upon the ground, and consists merely of a shallow cavity, lined with a few bits of withered herbage or dead leaves. Numbers of pairs often nest within a comparatively small area of suitable ground, and should one pair be disturbed, the entire community is soon thrown into a state of alarm. The four eggs of the Curlew vary from olive-green to buff, blotched and spotted with olive-brown and pale gray. The Curlew begins to wander coastwards as soon as the young are reared. By far the majority seen first are young birds, and these arrive from the middle of July onwards. WHIMBREL. This species—which is the _Numenius phæopus_ of systematists—is best known on the British coasts during its annual migrations, passing our islands so regularly that it has received the name of “May Bird.” On the Lincolnshire coast, as well as in many other districts, the Whimbrel is almost universally known as the “Jack-Curlew.” During its seasonal movements it visits most parts of the British coast-line, but mud-flats, salt-marshes, estuaries, and extensive reaches of sand, are the most favoured localities. Its habits are very similar to those of the Curlew—a bird which it somewhat closely resembles in general appearance, although it is much smaller. It is also a less wary bird, especially upon its arrival; much stalking, however, soon teaches it shyness. Perhaps the Whimbrel is not so often seen on the actual beach as the Curlew; it seems to prefer to resort to slob-lands, and swampy meadows adjoining the beach. It not only wades, but is said even to swim occasionally, and is fond of bathing, throwing the water over itself as it stands breast-high in the sea. In autumn and winter the Whimbrel is certainly gregarious, but its gatherings are never so large on our coasts as those of the Curlew. This, however, is entirely due to local causes, for Gätke reports that on the bright warm days of April and May they pass over Heligoland in successive flocks, at a vast height, and flying at a tremendous speed. On migration the note of the Whimbrel may be described as a shrill _hee-hee-hee_. Its food, during its sojourn in small numbers on the British coasts, consists principally of crustaceans, sand-worms, and molluscs.