STONE-CURLEW 369 



says it used to nest on Dungeness beach. A specimen 

 in the Maidstone Museum, a male, was obtained at Ayles- 

 ford, April 24, 1888, by Mr. E. J. Balston. 



Mr. G. Dowker, in his Birds of East Kent, 1889, writes : 

 " A specimen of the Stone-Curlew was shot at Ash ; 

 when last met with it was found on that extraordinary 

 accumulation of stones known as the "Lydd Beach." 

 This is not only the home of many rare birds, but is a 

 perfect wilderness, while a fauna and flora is found no- 

 where else to be met with in the south-eastern corner 

 of England. The beach, which has been accumulating 

 round Dungeness for many centuries, is upwards of three 

 miles in width at its broadest part, a stony desert relieved 

 here and there by large ponds, and a sort of oasis sur- 

 rounded by swamp and tall bull-rushes, the resort of 

 numerous species of wild-fowl and sea birds. The beach 

 still preserves the ridges marking the lines of the former 

 recession of the sea, and crowned in the most ancient 

 ridges with a stunted vegetation of brambles and briar 

 bushes, while lichens and mosses have consolidated the 

 pebbles. Nearer the shore the loose beach, yielding to 

 the steps of the explorer, makes the walking exceedingly 

 laborious, and few save the coastguard men cross it ; 

 and they make use of a sort of snowshoe, known by the 

 local name of " baxters," on which they skate along the 

 beach. This isolated and unfrequented spot is now, 

 however, invaded by the iron roads, the railways, and the 

 last retreat of the wild bird is thus threatened." 



Captain Boyd Alexander writes (1896) : "On May 22 

 a pair of Thick-knee Plovers appeared on the " Lydd 

 Beach." After carefully watching them for some days 

 I was rewarded by finding their two eggs. They were 

 deposited amongst some flowering foxgloves — altogether 

 24 



