SHORTER-BILLED RUNNING BIRDS. 235 



yellow, tipped black; legs long, yellow, swollen at 

 the knee. Resident and summer migrant. 



Eggs. — Usually 2, pale buff, blotched and streaked 

 ^Yith umber-brown and some gray; 2'1''1*6 inches 

 (plate 132). 



Nest. — ^Merely a hollow scratched in stone -littered 

 ground. 



The Stone-Curlew is known as a summer visitor 

 to the southern and eastern counties of England, 

 though a few birds remain during the winter in 

 Cornwall. It haunts open arid lands, stony heaths 

 and wolds, and broad shingly beaches, where it feeds 

 principally on animal matter in the form of insects, 

 worms, snails, &a The strikingly large eye is with- 

 out doubt connected with the twilight habit of this 

 bird, for it is particularly active at evening. It is 

 a great runner, and has the habit of clapping down 

 with extended neck to hide, a trick common with 

 young birds of all the Plover and Snipe kinds, though 

 not often practised by grown birds. If by chance 

 Stone-Curlews be surprised, they fly only a short 

 way ere coming to earth to run forward and, sinking 

 down, flatten themselves out among the stones, or in 

 any barren spot harmonising with their own colouring. 

 Except in point of size the Stone-Curlew resembles 

 the Common Curlew only in its long, loud Curlew- 

 like cry, heard chiefly at evening. The thickened 

 joint in the legs, particularly observable in young 

 birds, and abnormally large, bright-yellow eyes of the 

 Stone-Curlew are found in no other running bird. 

 Such of the birds as migrate flock in early autumn, 

 and take their departure in October. 



2 £ 



