240 THE GOLDEN PLOVER 
of approach than in spring. In the chalky plains of La Marne in 
France they are very numerous; and here, by the aid of a light 
cart, fowlers in quest of them have little difficulty in shooting 
large numbers, the birds being less afraid of the approach of a horse 
than of a human being. But when obtained they are of little 
value, as their flesh is barely eatable. 
The Thick-knee is migratory, visiting us in the beginning of 
April to stay till October. His flights are made by night. 
THE CREAM-COLOURED COURSER 
CURSORIUS GALLICUS 
Plumage reddish cream colour; wing-coverts bordered with ash-grey; throat 
whitish; behind the eyes a double black bar; lateral tail-feathers black 
towards the tip, with a white spot in the centre of the black; abdomen 
whitish. Length nine inches. Eggs unknown. 
THOUGH the specific name Europzus would seem to imply that 
this bird is of frequent occurrence in Europe, this is not the case. 
Not more than three or four have been observed in Great Britain, 
at various intervals, from 1785 to 1827; and on the Continent 
it is an equally rare visitor to the plains of Provence and Languedoc. 
It is a native of Syria, Egypt, and Abyssinia, frequenting pools 
and other moist situations. It is singularly fearless of man, and 
when disturbed prefers to run, which it does very swiftly, rather than 
to take flight. Its winter residence is supposed to be the central 
lakes of Africa, from which it returns to the countries named above 
early in autumn, and disappears at the approach of winter. Nothing 
is known of its nidification. About the autumn of 1868 one was 
shot in Lanarkshire 
THE GOLDEN PLOVER 
CHARADRIUS PLUVIALIS 
Wintey—upper plumage dusky, spotted with yellow, cheeks, neck, and breast 
mottled with ash-brown and buff; throat and abdomen white; quills 
dusky, white along the shafts towards the end; beak dusky, feet deep 
ash-colour; irides brown. Summeyrv—upper plumage greyish black, 
spotted with bright yellow; forehead and space above the eyes white ; 
sides of the neck white, mottled with black and yellow; lore, throat, 
neck, and lower parts deep black. Length nine inches. Eggs yellowish 
green, blotched and spotted with black. 
THE Golden Plover is a common bird in the south of England during 
the winter months, and in the mountainous parts of Scotland and 
the north of England during the rest of the year; yet so different 
are its habits and plumage at the extremes of these two seasons, 
that the young naturalist who has had no opportunities of observing 
them in their transition stage, and has had no access to trustworthy 
