289 
THIECK-KNEED. Craseit 
of a pure white: the two firft quil feathers are black, 
marked on the middle of each web with a large 
white fpot. 
The tail confifts of twelve feathers; the tips of | 
the two outmoft are black, beneath is a broad white 
bar, the remaining part barred with white and 
dufky brown: in the next feathers the white leffens; 
in the middle it almoft difappears, changing it 
to a pale reddifh brown, mottled with a darker: 
its mouth very wide: the legs are of a fine yellow: 
the toes very fhort, bordered with a ftrong mem- 
brane: the knees thick, as if fwelled, like thofe 
of a gouty man; from whence Belen gives it the 
name of Oedicnemus*. 
This bird feems unknown in the weftern parts 
of this kingdom; but is found in Hampfbire, Nor- 
folk, and on Lincoln heath, where, from a fimilarity 
of colors to the curlew, it is called the Stone 
Curlew. It breeds in fome places in rabbet bo- 
roughs; alfo among ftones on the bare ground, 
laying two eggs of a copper color, fpotted with 
a darker red. The young run foon after they are 
hatched. Thefe birds feed in the night on worms 
and caterpillars: they will alfo eat toads; and 
Gefner fays they will catch mice, which Is con- 
firmed by Haffelquift. 
They make a moft piercing fhrill noife, which 
they begin in the evening; and are fo loud, as to 
* From odea, and «nun, 
be 
