BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 63 



CURLEW, STONE. Also NORFOLK PLOVER, 

 GREAT PLOVER, and THICKNEE. 



( OEdicnemus scolopax.) 

 Order LIMICOL.E ; Family CEDICNEMID^: (PLOVERS). 



Description of Parent Birds. Length about seven- 

 teen inches. Bill, short compared with that of 

 the Common Curlew, strong, nearly straight, green- 

 ish-yellow at the base, and black at the tip. Irides 

 golden-yellow. A light-coloured streak runs from 

 the base of the beak, under the eye, to the ear- 

 coverts, followed by a brown one running in the 

 same direction below it. Crown, nape, and back 

 of neck light brown, streaked with black. Back, 

 wings (except primaries, which are nearly black, 

 with a white patch on the end of the first and second 

 feathers), and upper tail-coverts light brown, each 

 feather having an elongated blackish-brown centre. 

 Upper half of tail-quills of two shades of brown, 

 producing a mottled effect, followed by a band of 

 white and a black tip. Chin and throat white ; 

 front of neck and breast very light brown, streaked 

 with blackish-brown ; belly and sides nearly white, 

 streaked with brown. Vent and under tail-coverts 

 creamy-white, unmarked. Legs and toes yellow ; 

 claws black. 



The female is very much like the male in her 

 plumage. 



Situation and Locality. On the ground in war- 

 rens, on downs, heaths, and dry commons, princi- 

 pally in Norfolk and Suffolk, but found in several 

 other counties, as far west as Dorsetshire and as 

 far north as Yorkshire. Our illustration was pro- 

 cured on a common in Norfolk. 



