498 KNEE—KNOT 
KNEE, a term commonly misapplied by many ornithological 
writers to the intertarsal (often called tibio-tarsal) joint, hence the 
absurd name of THICK-KNEE; but correctly used as in Mammals for 
the femoro-tibial joint, which is not usually visible in the living 
Bird, owing to the shortness of the thigh and its being hidden 
by the flank-feathers. 
KNORHAAN (Scolding Cock), the colonial name in South Africa 
for several species of BUSTARD, of the genus Hupodotis and especially 
E. afra. 
KNOT, a Limicoline bird very abundant at certain seasons on 
the shores of Britain and many countries of the northern hemisphere. 
Camden in the edition of his Britannia published in 1607 (p. 408) 
inserted a passage not found in the earlier issues of that work, 
connecting the name with that of King Canute, and this account of 
its origin has been usually received. But no other evidence in its 
favour is forthcoming, and Camden’s statement is merely the expres- 
sion of an opinion,! so that there is perhaps ground for believing 
him to have been mistaken, and that the clue afforded by Sir 
Thomas Browne, who (circa 1672) wrote the name “Gnatts or 
Knots,” may be the true one.” Still the statement was so positively 
repeated by successive authors that Linnzeus followed them in calling 
the species 7ringa canutus, and so it remains with nearly all modern 
ornithologists. Rather larger than a SNIPE, but with a short bill and 
legs, the Knot visits the coasts of some parts of Europe, Asia and 
North America at times in vast flocks; and, though in temperate 
climates a good many remain throughout the winter, these are nothing 
compared with the numbers that arrive towards the end of spring, in 
England generally about the 15th of May, and after staying a few 
days pass northward to their summer quarters, while early in autumn 
the young of the year throng to the same places in still greater 
plenty, being followed a little later by their parents. In winter the 
1 His words are simply ‘‘ Knotts, i. Canuti aves, vt opinor e Dania enim 
aduolare creduntur.” In the margin the name is spelt ‘‘ Cnotts,” and he possibly 
thought it had to do with a well-known story of that king. Knots undoubtedly 
frequent the sea-shore, where Canute is said on one occasion to have taken up his 
station, but they generally retreat, and that nimbly, before the advancing surf, 
which he is said in the story not to have done. 
* In this connexion we may compare the French maringouwin, ordinarily a gnat 
or mosquito, but also, among the French Creoles of America, a small shore-bird, 
either a Tringa or an Afgialitis, according to Descourtilz (Voyage, ii. p. 249). 
See also Littré’s Dictionnaire, sub voce. 
3 There are few of the Limicole, to which group the Knot belongs, that 
present greater changes of plumage according to age or season, and hence before 
these phases were understood the species beeame encumbered with many synonyms, 
as Tringa cinerea, ferruginea, grisea, islandica, nevia, and so forth. The confusion 
thus caused was mainly cleared away by Montagu and Temminck, 
