312 COMMON THICK-KNEE. 



met with in Scotland, and Mr. Thompson places it, 

 as an extremely rare visitant, to Ireland. In its 

 more common periodical haunts, it appears in April 

 and the beginning of May ; and, after breeding, 

 takes its departure in October, previous to which 

 it assembles in flocks like the plovers. There are 

 instances mentioned, notwithstanding, of specimens 

 being seen in December,* and of its appearance 

 so early as February, t The eggs are deposited on 

 the bare ground, without any nest, and generally 

 in stony or shingly places ; and the fallows in some 

 districts serve as breeding grounds. They are night- 

 feeding birds, a habit indicated by their large and 

 prominent eyes ; and while insects, particularly Co- 

 leoptera^ constitute a great portion of their food, 

 during their residence in this country, worms, rep- 

 tiles, and even small mammalia, are said to be also 

 devoured by them. On the continent the species 

 seems to be pretty generally, though locally spread, 

 as a summer visitant. We have it ranging to the 

 plains between the Black and Caspian Seas,J to 

 Asia Minor and Madeira. || 



A specimen before us, procured from Norfolk, 

 has the upper parts yellowish- brown; the centre of 

 each feather umber-brown, dilating at the base, and 

 running along the shaft to the tip ; on the shoulders 

 the dark tints are deeper, and a series of feathers 

 are barred with yellowish-white, which is apparent, 

 and, from the contrast, shows a diagonal band across 



* Mr. J. D. Salmon. ^ Montague. J Hohenacher. 

 Strickland. || Yarrell. 



