STONE-CURLEW. 57 



have diminished considerably, but a few still breed 

 annually about Westacre, Congham, and Lexham ; and 

 their eggs have been taken recently near Cressingham 

 and Watton. At West Harling, though not in their 

 former abundance, Mr. Singer informs me that he has 

 the last year or two met with from fifteen to twenty in a 

 flock, frequenting the turnip-fields in the early autumn ; 

 and this, in spite of the great extent of wood that has 

 grown up on all sides in that district. From Thetford, 

 their main stronghold,* as in days gone by, Mr. Bartlett 

 writes, " I do not think the stone-curlew has decreased 

 since I have been here, some twenty years. I see as 

 many as ever, but plantations have got up in the 

 neighbourhood year by year, tending to take from 

 its wildness, and so diminish both the curlew and 

 ring-dotterel. On my warren they are quite as numer- 

 ous, when the season is favourable, but its bleakness 

 is undiininished." From the Feltwell country, also, 

 I hear the same satisfactory account from my friend 

 Mr. IsTewcorne, who states that in the autumn of 1867 

 he saw about a hundred and fifty in one flock on his 

 own estate. From these facts, then, we may conclude 

 that if, on the eastern side of the county the stone- 

 curlew, in a few years time, should cease to be reckoned 

 amongst our summer visitants, there is little fear that 

 as regards the southern and western portions, its pre- 

 sence in summer will still enliven the waste for many 

 generations to come. 



* Mr. Hewitson is quite in error as to the position of this 

 district, when alluding ("Brit. Bds.' Eggs," 3rd ed.) to the 

 abundance of the stone-curlew in Norfolk and Suffolk, he says, 

 " It breeds upon the extensive sandy flats, which chiefly border upon 

 the sea-shore" The flat sandy borders of the Wash, are not, nor 

 do I think ever were, frequented by this species, which prefers a 

 more hilly country; and Thetford warren, though many milea 

 inland, has attractions not only for the great-plover, but for its 

 more marine relative, the ring- dotterel (Charadrius hiaticula.) 

 I 



