THE STONE-CURLEW. 497 



Characters and allied forms. — B. ce. distinctus (Grand Canary, 

 Tenerife and Hierro) has upper-parts darker, under -parts usually 

 purer white and markings consequently bolder ; B. oe. insularum 

 (E. Canaries) has upper -parts more sandy-rufescent than in B. ce. 

 cedicnemus (though not nearly so sandy as in saharce), breast more 

 heavily streaked and is smaller ; B. ce. saharce (North Africa) 

 has upper-parts lighter than in B. oe. cedicnemus, yellowish 

 sand-colour, and black-brown streaks narrower ; B. oe. astutus 

 (Transcaspia to Baluchistan) is paler, less sandy -yellow and greyer 

 than saharce, mesial streaks narrower on upper -parts and smaller 

 on breast ; B. ce. indicus (India, Ceylon, Burmah) is like cedicnemus 

 but smaller. Buff and black-brown upper -parts and short stout 

 bill distinguish Stone-Curlew from other British Waders. 



Field -characters. — Gregarious in spring and autumn, lives 

 during summer in scattered pairs on dry heaths, sandy wastes, 

 chalk uplands, and, in one district, on pebble beaches. Owing to 

 its elusive habits, generally protective coloration and comparative 

 silence in daytime often escapes notice. When seen, however, its 

 appearance is unmistakable, a large bullet -headed Plover with 

 prominent yellow eyes, running quickly with short pattering steps, 

 head lowered and neck retracted, or flying swiftly just above 

 ground with long yellow legs outstretched, a dark band across 

 terminal third of wings and white conspicuous in wings and tail. 

 Vociferous after dark, when the penetrating, sweet "cur-lwee" of 

 several birds sometimes combines in a loud wailing. A plaintive 

 " klee " expresses alarm when chicks are in danger. 



Breeding-habits. — Haunts open country, downs, sandy flats, 

 heaths, etc. Nest. — A mere scratching, often containing rabbit- 

 droppings as well as eggs. Eggs. — Normally 2, but 3 occasionally 

 recorded ; 4 probably laid by two hens, colour light yellowish-stone 

 to pale brown, irregularly blotched, spotted or closely streaked with 

 sepia-brown and a few ashy shellmarks. Average of 100 eggs, 

 53.5x38.4. Max.: 61.7x38.5 and 55x41.5. Min. : 47x37.3 and 

 53.5x35.6 mm. Breeding -season. — Exceptionally from mid-April 

 onward, but usually in May. Incubation. — Both sexes take part. 

 Period 26-27 days. Single brooded. 



Food. — Main food land-mollusca (snails and slugs), earthworms 

 and insects, especially larger coleoptera, such as Geotrupes, Melo- 

 lontha, etc. ; also larvse of lepidoptera, diptera, and orthoptera 

 (grasshoppers, earwigs). Erogs occasionally picked up and not 

 infrequently field-mice, while there are one or two instances of 

 chicks of game-birds (Pheasant and Partridge) being swallowed. 

 Small shoots of heather once recorded. 



Distribution. — England. — Summer -resident (3rd week March- 

 Oct.), some winter Devon and Cornwall, and occasional elsewhere. 

 Breeds Yorks. (now two localities only, York moors and wolds), 

 Lines., Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex (one locality), Kent, Sussex, Surrey, 

 Hants., Dorset, Wilts., Berks., Bucks., Herts, (not Beds, since 



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