﻿CHARADRIID.E. 



also very slight, the small parties that travel together being- 

 only made up of the individuals of a family ; and as soon as 

 the young birds can shift for themselves, they leave the 

 parents altogether. In autumn and winter, consequently, 

 the Thick-knee ranges about in a lonely manner. 



Towards the pairing season the males enter the lists for 

 the possession of a mate, and the victor approaches his 

 bride with his head much lowered, his wings drooping, and 

 his tail erect, and fanned out, uttering at the same time, his 

 cooing love-notes, dit, or dillit, dillit I The usual call-note 

 of this species sounds like kraleet, or kreeeet, which it utters 

 chiefly during the evening and night, when on the wing, 

 but rarely in the day. 



In confinement, the Thick-knee can easily be tamed^ 

 and shews great partiality towards its keeper, and in con- 

 sequence of its hardy nature, it lives to a great age ; but as 

 it has no remunerating qualities, it is not often kept by 

 others than lovers of ornithology. 



Its food in a natural state is chiefly worms, insects and 

 their larvae, in search of which it visits the neighbouring 

 meadows and pasture lands, where small snails and slugs 

 also become its prey. During the day, the Thick-knee is 

 obliged to search for worms under small lumps of peat-earth, 

 and beneath stones ; thus the ornithologist is frequently 

 made acquainted with the vicinity of one or more of these 

 birds, by the number of small stones that may be found 

 turned over, and by the spot where the stone has laid being 

 disturbed. 



The breeding arrangements of the species seem to be 

 carried on in the most independent, careless manner possible, 

 the female only scratching the sandy, dry ground of the spot 

 chosen, and depositing her two or three eggs on it, without 

 the least lining of any description ; the eggs are consequently 



