58 BIRDS OF NORFOLK. 
The arrival of these birds in spring occurs generally 
about the second week in April, when an occasional 
straggler may be found on the sea-shore, as on April 
17th, 1866, when a single stone-curlew was shot on 
Yarmouth beach. In that neighbourhood, however, 
as stated by the Messrs. Paget, it is but rarely met 
with. There is no “nest,” but the two eggs are laid on 
the bare ground, which, being of a light nature, becomes 
worn into a shallow depression by the movements of 
the sitting bird; and so much do the general tints of 
the eggs assimilate to those of the sandy soil around 
that the novice finds as much difficulty in detecting 
them as those of the ring-dotterel on a shingly beach. 
The eggs vary extremely in the disposition and colour 
of their markings, as shown by the three examples 
figured by Hewitson (‘“ Brit. Bds.’ Eggs,” 3rd ed.), two 
taken from specimens in the late Mr. Salmon’s collec- 
tion; and a third from that of Mr. Alfred Newton, 
who possesses a wonderful series from the Thetford 
country, which exhibits very many beautiful and unu- 
sual varieties. Both parents would seem to share in 
the work of incubation, as Mr. Salmon on one occasion 
ascertained, by dissection, that several birds snared on 
their nests during the day time were all males. Whether, 
if undisturbed, they have more than one brood in the 
season I am unable to say, but if the first nest is robbed 
other eggs will be met with in a fresh state, up to a 
very late period, as, on the 11th of September, 1851, 
Mr. Dowell and Mr. Lubbock, when shooting at Harling, 
found two eggs of the stone-curlew, the old birds rising 
not far off; and on the 9th of October the parents were 
seen again, but the eggs had been taken. The young 
in their first down are pretty little creatures, and, when 
squatting to avoid detection, are as difficult to find 
as the eggs. They follow their parents in search of 
food, almost from their birth, hiding amongst the loose 
stones on the least appearance of danger, and a very 
