1T8 Nesf of the Norfolk Plover or Stone-Curtew . 



are often railed "Half-snipe." They usually sit very close 

 and, when disturbed, only fly a short distance. W'e increased 

 our bag on this occasion by the addition of a Moor-hen whicli 

 rose from a clump of reed^, and a Teal, the drake of which 

 species, in spring plumage is, to my mind, the most beautiful 

 little duck that inhabits the British Isles. 

 {To he\ continued). 



An Indian Nest of the Norfolk Plover or 

 Stone-Curlew. 



( JEdicnemns Scolopax.) 



Bv Hugh Whistler, M.B.O.U., I. P. 



In England we are so accustomed to look on the 

 Stone- Curlew as a bird of open heaths or warrens, or great 

 expanses of shingle, that our members may care to hear of 

 the first nest of this species tha;t I have found in the'Punjab; 

 I gather from reading Hume's descriptions that my nest may 

 be considered typical of the habits of the Indian race of the 

 bird. 



During a few days of this iiionith I was encamped at 

 near Sirhind, between Ludhiana and Ambala, Morinda is 

 noted for its huge groves of Mango trees, some of very great 

 size and age. These groves extend all round the inspection 

 bungalow in whicilii I was putting up and during the first two 

 nights of my sta/ I was greatly puzzled about the possible 

 identity of some birds which could be heard calling in the 

 darknes- here and there around the bungalow. The call was 

 a sort of whistling shriek, which might be represented by the 

 word " twe-c-e-e-k." After a good deal of thought it struck 

 me that it was probably the Stone-Curlew which is well- 

 known to be partly or largely nocturnal. 



Next morning, accordingly (19th March), I went out 

 to see whether I coidd find the species in the vicinity; when 

 I had been here in camp on 8th December previously my 

 Falconer had reported seeing a party of four but I had not 



