CHARADRIAD^E. 205 



THE COMMON THICK-KNEE. (Edicnemus crepitans. This 

 bird is also known by the names of the Norfolk Plover and 

 Stone Curlew, It usually arrives in this country in April 

 or May, and, after rearing its young, takes its departure in 

 October for more congenial climes. In Norfolk and Suffolk 

 it is considered to be more numerous than in other parts of 

 England, and has derived one of its names from its com- 

 parative abundance in the former county; it is also found 

 in Hampshire, Sussex, and other parts of our country as far 

 north as Yorkshire. It is unknown in Scotland, and very 

 rare in Ireland. This species frequents downs, commons, 

 uplands, and sheep-walks, and breeds on open wastes and 

 upon those extensive sandy flats which chiefly border upon 

 the sea-coast. It lays its eggs without other nest than a. 

 cavity scratched in the ground ; these are two in number, 

 more oval in form than those of the Plovers, Dotterels, and 

 their allies, which we have recently described, and of a light- 

 brown or warm stone- colour, streaked and blotched with 

 dark brown and other greyer tints. As the dusk of evening 

 approaches, this bird rouses up itself in search of its food, 

 which consists of worms, insects, and young frogs. 



GEE AM- COLOURED SWIFTFOOT. OuTSorius Europ<zus. The 

 birds composing the genus Cursorius inhabit, as their fa- 



