FORE-NOTE TO RUNNING BIRDS. 



Birds have two modes of progression on land, 

 either a hopping with both feet at once, or a step- 

 ping gait in which the feet are used one after the 

 other. 



Of those that use a stepping gait, some walk, 

 others run. 



The birds of the following two sections, ' Shorter- 

 Billed Running Birds ' and ' Long-Billed Running 

 Birds,' are all notable runners ; they never hop ; they 

 rarely (unless quietly feeding) proceed at a walking 

 pace, but almost always move with a quick, gliding 

 run. They are all ground-birds, either of the sea- 

 shore, the fields, heath, marshland, or moor. 



The birds here called shorter-billed running birds 

 have bills shorter than the head ; the long-billed ones 

 have bills as long as or longer than the head. 



SHORTER-BILLED RUNNING 

 BIRDS. 



STONE-CURLEW. Plate 102. 16 inches. Upper 

 parts pale sand-colour, with black streaks ; wings dark 

 brown, with two inconspicuous white bands on the 

 opened wing ; white streak above and another below 

 the very large yellow eye ; under parts white ; rufous 

 on the fore-neck, which is streaked with black ; bill 



