STONE-CURLEW. I09 



Family CEDICNEMID/E. Thick-knees. 



Bill short and straight ; legs long, with three toes, united to 

 second joint. 



Stone-Curlew. CEdicnenms oedicnejuus (Linn.). 



The Stone-Curlew, Great Plover, Norfolk Plover, or Thick- 

 knee (Plate 45), has many names, none of which is specially 

 local. In many ways it resembles the plovers, but in others — 

 its choice of habitat, for instance — is more of a bustard. It is 

 found in suitable places in central and southern Europe, Asia, 

 and northern Africa, and is a partial migrant. Even in England, 

 where it is normally a summer visitor, some remain to winter, 

 occasionally in Yorkshire and East Anglia, but more frequently 

 in Cornwall and Devon. To Scotland and Ireland it is only a 

 wanderer, and in eastern and southern England is decidedly 

 local, haunting only wide, open spaces — wolds, chalk-downs, 

 and the " brecks " of Norfolk and Suffolk. 



The large, bright yellow eye of the Stone-Curlew is its most 

 salient character ; it attracts the eye when the surroundings 

 obliterate the lines of the motionless bird. It is a long-legged, 

 large plover, giving an impression of a round head framing a 

 very round eye. Whether its colour hides it or gives it away 

 depends entirely upon the nature of the ground, but in most of 

 its usual haunts it is a very inconspicuous bird. 



When in flight, the double wing bar, obscure when the wing 

 is closed, strikes me as very noticeable. If disturbed in the 

 daytime the flight is direct and low, but at night, and especially 

 in autumn, it is often erratic. I have seen the bird run quickly, 

 with head low, but neck drawn in, for a long distance before 

 taking wing. 



Birds occasionally arrive in March, but April is the usual 

 month ; most leave in October. Though not continuously 



