8 Animal Life 
known, and that the similarity of thei wild mght cries caused the inhabitants to confuse 
the two birds, and then, recognising a distinction, to add the prefix “stone” to the 
former from their habit of nesting in stony places. Although belongmg to the plover 
family the stone-curlew has no close affinities with any other British members of the 
eroup; if forms an interesting lmk between them and the bustards, which birds it 
much resembles in both appearance and habits. Apart from other species of its own 
genus Cidicnemus (which occur in remote parts of the world such as southern Asia, 
tropical America and Australia, but principally Africa), the stone-curlew is nearly allied 
to the coursers, which inhabit similar localities, notably the sandy plains of Africa. 
The stone-curlew is migratory, arriving in this country early in April, at the 
end of which month its eggs may in some seasons be found, although as a rule 
it does not commence to lay before May is a week old. Its breeding grounds are 
the chalk downs, plaims, and heaths im several of our southern counties, but 
nowhere in such abundance as on the Breck. Whilst most cf the British plovers 
lay four eggs of the well-known pear-shaped form (which, arranged with the small 
ends together, occupy a far smaller space than their comparatively large size would 
lead one to expect), the stone-curlew lays but two; these are nearly oval in shape, 
stone-coloured, and streaked and blotched with different shades of brown and grey; 
they are deposited in a shght hollow scraped in the sandy soil, and there are generally 
loose flints strewn about the surface near the “nest” with which the eggs harmonise 
so perfectly as to be most difficult to detect. 
The ringed plover, lapwing and stone-curlew all nesting as they do under similar 
conditions, it follows that them habits durmg incubation have much in common. ‘The 
eges are so well protected by their resemblance to their environment that at the 
approach of danger (by which it may be inferred man is implied) the eggs are safer 
left to themselves than if the parent bird remained on them, to be probably frightened 
into a sudden flight by a near approach of the intruder, which would afford a good clue 
to their whereabouts. (Lo be continued.) 
A ROYAL BIRD. 
ULY is the month when the young Swans on the Thames are marked by the 
King’s Swanherd, in conjunction with the Swanwardens and Markers of the 
Vintners’ and Dyers’ Companies. These two Companies and the King are the owners of 
Swans on the River Thames. For the purpose of marking the young birds every 
year the King’s representative meets the wardens and 
herdsmen of the Companies, and they all start from 
Southwark Bridge on the Swan Voyage. The King’s 
birds are marked with his initial, and those of the 
Dyers’ and Vintners’ Companies with one and two 
nicks respectively. In connection with the mark, or 
rather marks of the latter, it is interesting to note that 
the old tavern sign “The Swan with Two Necks” is 
a corruption of “The Swan with two Nicks.” Swan 
laws still in foree are numerous; among them may be 
mentioned one which provides that no persons other 
than the King’s sons may possess the birds unless 
they hold land to the value of five marks; another 
is that any Swan. found on any of the seas or 
rivers of England without an owner’s mark 
becomes the property of the Crown. 
