The Stone-Curlew's Story 



WE can never read these words without seeing a picture 

 of a certain flinty field in Hampshire, known to Gilbert 

 White of old, where the rare birds, which he described 

 so faithfully, may still be seen, and hearing again their 

 wild whistle, as it rings out at night for these are 

 night as well as day birds. 



When you are lucky enough to see a stone-curlew at 

 close quarters, you find a brownish bird of mottled 

 plumage, some eighteen inches long, the throat white, 

 the breast streaked with brown, standing on long yellow 

 legs. As well as " thick-knee," he is called the Norfolk 

 plover, since he is chiefly at home in Norfolk, though 

 a few still haunt the flinty fields of Hampshire. 



Some curlew stay in the south of England for the 

 winter, but most of them then leave us. 



Cock and hen birds are the same in appearance, and 

 the cock is a good mother to the eggs, taking his turn 

 at sitting. Very vigilant and wary they are when 

 nesting. The young ones squat and are motionless 

 when they fear an intruder ; and the old birds also will 

 stretch themselves on the ground, as if knowing how 

 effectively they match their surroundings. 



These are good friends of the farmer, living on 

 grubs, insects, and worms which live on his crops. 



