4 (EDICNEMID^. 



its turn came to relieve its mate it would walk pretty deliberately across the first 

 part of the open, where it was more or less screened by a fringe of trees ; and 

 there, having reached a point that was commanded from a long way off, it would 

 suddenly lower its head and run as fast as a Red-leg to the nest. When it was 

 about a yard away the sitting bird would slip off and, staying for no greetings, 

 run past and away to the pine-bank. Though I watched these birds for many 

 hours on several days, I never but once saw any change in this procedure. It 

 was interesting to notice that the bu'd always rose backwards off the eggs, so that 

 its long legs should not disturb the eggs ; and that the newcomer did not turn 

 the eggs immediately, but squatted perfectly still for perhaj^s a minute, as if to 

 make sure it was not observed. And after the eggs were satisfactorily bestowed, 

 and all the coast seemed clear, the bird would close its eyes in the hot sunshine 

 and appear to go to sleep. But even then I could scarce move so much as a 

 finger above the grasses, but instantly it was off its nest and away. 



" I never but once heard these birds make their well-kno^vIl night-call, and 

 that was in the daytime, and before they had fairly begun to sit. But they often 

 make another little noise — a short, clear note of Avarning. And so I tried 

 experiments, crawling round to another point from which the nest was out of 

 sight, but from which I could see the sentry bird standing at its post. Then I 

 could make never so slight a movement but with that the watcher gave his quiet 

 piping call, the first sound of which sufficed to lure the sitting bird away. 



" And as they stood together on the bank, it was curious to see the different 

 behaviour of the two. For the bird whose turn it was to sit was all anxiety ; 

 walking irresolutely a few feet or so and back, ruffling its feathers, looking 

 eagerly out in the direction of the nest, evidently unable to shake itself together 

 for the passage of that open ground. But the other took a different line ; standing 

 still and preening its feathers, and giving its partner a dab of the beak from time 

 to time, as if to say ' Hurry up, now ; what a nervous fidget you are ! Those our 

 two eggs will be getting quite cold.' " 



The late Mr. H. Seebohm has given an interesting account of a visit made by 

 him, in company with Mr. E. Bidwell, to the breeding-grounds of the Stone-Curlew 

 on Black Heath, near Ipswich, on May 21st, 1881, The great heath where these 

 birds had bred from time immemorial was fast becoming reclaimed, and only few of 

 the wilder parts remained, consisting of patches of hilly and broken ground covered 

 with heath, with occasional clumps of furze bushes. Describing the discovery of 

 two clutches of eggs, he writes * : — " We walked on uutil we came to the brow 



* ' History o£ British Birds,' vol. ii. pp. 598, 599. 



