THE STONE-CURLEW 239 



Edmund Selous, whose impressions of this bird are exceedingly true 

 and lifelike. Mr. Selous describes the stone-curlew as at all times a 

 fighter, although when a male intrudes on a courting couple, and is 

 repelled by the male in possession, the fighting is, like all their 

 actions at this time, beset with much formality, and assumes rather 

 the aspect of a warlike demonstration than an actual battle. In 

 such an incident described by Mr. Selous, the male, after going at a 

 quick pace to the female and making her a formal bow, turned to 

 attack his rival : " He is now drawn up to his full height, with the 

 head thrown a little back, the tail is fanned out into the shape of 

 a scallop-shell, . . . the broad, rounded end of which just touches 

 the ground at the centre, ... he advances upon the intruding bird 

 with quick little stilty steps, prepared evidently to do battle. The 

 would-be rival, however, retreats before this display, and the accepted 

 suitor, having followed him thus for some little way, . . . turns, and 

 with his former formal pace goes back to his hen." l 



But, as Mr. Selous has pointed out, 2 the stone-curlew will often 

 make rushes free from any formality, " with neck outstretched and 

 crouching gait," especially when the offending bird is of another 

 species. This I can corroborate, but I have not witnessed the formal 

 repulse of a rival at courting time. 



If the day is cloudy the birds may occasionally be heard to call to 

 each other, but this in my experience is only at rare intervals, and 

 probably when they have become separated in their wanderings. 

 They soon join company again, not forgetting a formal bow or two as 

 they do so. Not infrequently one will crouch on the ground, and 

 rock from side to side as when covering eggs, and I think it is then 

 that the " scrapes " previously mentioned are formed. 



The actual nest is a shallow depression, irregular in shape, and 

 some eight or nine inches across in its widest part. It is lined with 

 stones and rabbit droppings, which are added to during incubation. 



1 Bird Watching, p. 17. 



2 Bird-life Glimpses, p. 122 et seq. 



