STONE CURLEW. 28 1 



situ, while the wretched parents were screaming 

 overhead." 



It is a very shy bird, and when disturbed endeavours 

 to hide itself by crouching on the ground, and if 

 followed will try to escape by running, only attempting 

 to fly if closely pressed. "And jist can't he run!" 

 was the remark of a country lad who brought one of 

 our number some eggs of this bird one season. The 

 Thick-knee flies about at night in search of food 

 or water, and we have frequently heard its cry of 

 " Cur-lui " on our downs in the dusk of evening, said 

 by the poor people to be a sign of rain. 



It eats worms, frogs, lizards, mice, insects, and 

 sometimes small eggs. 



The upper plumage of the Stone Curlew is reddish 

 grey, the feathers having darker centres of blackish 

 brown ; the brow, neck and patch over the eyes, 

 white ; the under parts are yellowish white, spotted 

 with dark brown on the breast ; quills black, the tail 

 feathers bordered with black and white at their side. 

 There is a yellowish white bar on the upper wing. 



The Thick-knee when confined can be easily tamed, 

 and it is said to live to a great age. Eggs may be 

 looked for in May. There is absolutely no attempt at 

 building a nest ; a small cavity scratched in the ground 

 serves the purpose, and in this, right out in the open 

 where the bird can have an easy view of an enemy's 

 approach w^iile sitting, two eggs are laid. These are 

 more oval in form than the majority of Plovers' eggs : 

 they are about the size of a hen's egg, and of a light 

 brown or warm stone colour, streaked and blotched 

 with dark brown and other greyer tints. They are 

 very difficult to find among the flints lying loose on 

 the sandy soil, their protective colour rendering them 



