THE WADERS. 261 



habits, wading among the channels left by the receding 

 tide and picking up a living on crustaceans and molluscs. 

 The bill is long and slender ; in some it is soft and adapted 

 to sucking. They are mostly visitors on spring and autumn 

 migration. The hind-toe is often wanting. They build no 

 nest, laying the eggs in a depression in the earth. Eight 

 residents, twenty-five regular, nineteen irregular, visitors.] 



Also known as "Norfolk Plover" or "Thick-knee," the 

 Stone-curlew breeds freely in the south and east of Eng- 

 * Stone- land, and a few remain in the warmer portions 

 curlew, of the south-west through the winter, though 

 the majority dejDart for the south in October. To Scotland 

 and Ireland the bird is a rare straggler only. The under- 

 parts are dull white with brown streaks ; the bill is black 

 towards the tip, the base yellow. There is no hind-toe. 

 It is a bird of nocturnal habits, feeding, chiefly on small 

 mammals, reptiles, and beetles, after dusk, and not until 

 the moon is up is its singular cry heard to any great 

 extent. Heaths and rabbit-warrens are the favourite re- 

 sort of the stone-curlew. Like the rest of the group, it 

 lays its eggs in a depression among the stones, which 

 they closely resemble. Eggs, 2, over 2 inches; pale 

 brown, with grey spots. 



^Pratincole. — An irregular visitor in spring and autumn, 

 chiefly to the southern counties, though it has occurred as 

 far north as the Shetlands. Its home is in Africa. One 

 occurrence only is recorded from Ireland. 



Cream-coloured Courser. — An African straggler to the 

 south of England. One has occurred in Scotland, but 

 none in Ireland. 



Otherwise " Einged Dotterel" or "Sand -Lark," the 

 Ringed Plover is a familiar shore -bird on the east and 

 south coasts, where it breeds in April. There are two 



