﻿* CHARADRIID.E. 



pair of them very frequently in a fallow- field on the estate 

 of the Hon. Locke King, in that county, beside which a 

 public footpath runs from Chertsey Mead to the bridge over 

 the Wey. 



The geographical distribution of this bird extends over 

 all the temperate countries of Europe, and over many parts 

 of Asia and Africa ; such as the East Indies, Arabia, Syria, 

 Persia, and the southern parts of Siberia ; as well as over 

 Abyssinia, Nubia, and Egypt. The countries in Europe in 

 which the Thick-knee chiefly abounds, are Turkey, Greece, 

 Italy, the islands of the Mediterranean, Spain, and the 

 south of France. In Switzerland and Holland it is not 

 common. 



The period of the arrival of this species with us is the 

 latter end of March, and the beginning of April, and that 

 of its departure the middle of August and September ; it 

 consequently only seems to sojourn here during the breeding 

 season. The migratory journeys of this Plover are per- 

 formed during the night, in families numbering from four to 

 six or seven in autumn, at which time the young are returning 

 southward with their parents ; but they are only seen singly, 

 or at most in pairs in the spring. In the south of Europe 

 many remain throughout the year. 



The localities most frequented by the Thick-knee are 

 of an open character, such as uncultivated wastes, fallow 

 land, heathy ground, intermixed with barren patches of sand or 

 gravel; also sheep-walks that, on account of their unproductive 

 nature, are not of common resort ; and, above all, the spots 

 most unfrequented by man ; but, under all circumstances, 

 flat ground it must be, as this bird never frequents hilly 

 districts. 



Although this species resorts to some open river, lake, 

 or pond every evening to satisfy its thirst, and its propensity 



