272 Wonders of the Bird World 



its plumage closely assimilates. When pursued by a dog 

 or other enemy, the " Kakapo " does not attempt to use its 

 wings, but will drop like a stone on to the rocks below, and 

 if surprised in the open, it seeks safety by running away 

 like a Fowl, merely opening its wings slightly, but never 

 attempting to fly with them. 



On the downs of the South of England and on Salisbury 

 Plain, as well as in some other wild and open places in 

 East Anglia, is found every summer a bird called the 

 Thick-knee (CEdicnemus oedicnemus). It is also known as 

 the Stone-Plover and Norfolk Plover. This bird is some- 

 what Bustard-like in its ways, frequenting the open country, 

 and is remarkable for the very large size of its eye, which 

 is of a bright yellow colour. The Thick-knees are found 

 in the barren and desert portions of the Old World, as 

 well as in Central and South America, and eight different 

 species are known. They are extremely shy birds, and 

 their eggs are difficult to find, as they are laid without any 

 nest, on the bare ground, and closely resemble the stones 

 which lie scattered around. The old birds, on the approach 

 of danger, throw themselves down on the ground and 

 extend their necks, so that they escape observation from 

 any passing Bird of Prey, and this instinct is also observable 

 in the tiny nestlings. It is, however, amusing to see the 

 way in which the Thick-knees put in practice this " pro- 

 tective resemblance " under certain circumstances. I had a 

 pair of these birds which I kept loose in my garden during 

 the day, but at night they were turned into an aviary. 

 After they had been in confinement some time, they became 

 fairly tame, and would use every artifice in their power to 

 try and escape being interned in the evening. Their 

 device, when all other concealment failed, and they had 

 been routed out of their hiding-places, was to prostrate 

 themselves on the ground and lie perfectly still — a 

 manceuvre which might have been successful on fallow 



