I' STONE-CURLEW. 
take up a position and examine tlie surrounding slopes of the Downs tlirougli tlie glasses, I cam 
unexpectedly on the female Curlew, who got up within the distance of half a dozen paces'’ and made off 
running rapidly for twenty or thirty yards before spreading her wings. Having a few minutes previouslv 
lanc ec my gun to a keeper, so as to make use of the binoculars, I lost an easy chance of procurinc^ 
he bird. There was little doubt she had risen from her eggs, which were soon discovered, and I then 
looked about for the nearest cover to afford concealment and from which to watch her return At tl 
distance of about sixty yards a stunted thorn-bush offered a capital hiding-place, but it was clear thaJ 
a closer approach must be made m order to obtain an effective shot. From the bush to the spot where 
the eggs were deposited the ground sloped upwards, and was a bare open hill-side with very sLrt ^rass 
-d a few small tufts of heather and furze. After taking up my position the male came in skht 
ymg slouly round and finally alighting near the nest; he was once within shot, but tlie female onlv 
uas lequired to complete the pair. The small protuheranco on the beak was distinctly visible through 
tlie glasses as the bird stood upright with outstretched nock near the eggs ; a few m^inutes later tL 
cmale eamc m sight and at once settied down higher up the hill. The male then rose and flew straiMit 
away up le \a ey between the Downs, and the female commenced descending the hill towards Le 
nest. She was apparently somewhat restless or alarmed, and moved very slowly, pausing r n t l 
ftine s retching out her neck to its fullest extent and gazing intently around wiftl Lr lar°ge yenow eve? 
About a quarter of an hour was passed before she dropped on her eggs, and then she sat turning her head from 
Ido to side, the great length of her neek affording a goad ehanee for observation. I couliT s" no elianc^ 
0 appioac i ill im range, unless it was possible to creep up behind a small bush of wild raspberries and 
wambles, about a cmiple of feet in height, that grew within twenty yards of the nest. It 2 
p oceed straight to tins small raspberry-plant from the thorn busli without attractiuo. the attenLu of 
1': “pi :: ' sue was lost sight of. Then mil! ii;,,:' 
commenced the“llnt "ft I 
-e surface of tf.e ground, 1 f ™ 
-ed before^ ‘nirz:' ^ iziiiZifiZ:: s7Zi:i t z z 
izivivirfeZitirti a”.-"-" 
all the brcedino-nlaccs of tin's' ' ' ® ‘'“’’‘y •''“''‘'s’ distance. I remarked that 
of tlie hilrizirsoilii 1: wir;;! ““ “““““ *'»p- 
ground, in whiel’i the eggs are deposited. lf”ireT:: IZZllerf 
iirisiszzhi sz rif 17 " " 
and the other for sixteen o! seltel Is I I” “7?“ 
accordingly directed to remove the eggs if not^iateheriut^r t!lty"“'l‘\l!il^^^ 
ZhlZlLlZ r '-«»/one LovtlZZe you^r^^^^^^ 
would sliortly have brokZthe shllT- 1 sl'd"'^ "”1 and it appeared that they 
the period o/ ineubatio: o! this sH. ™ ““ 
take.lZte1rds\!!Zl »f ‘I- -le and female of this species, and is 
tlie lltl. and 23rd of’jlav 1870 “t'i" n . ‘ Lewes, in Sussex, on 
May, 187-. Ihe small knobs or protuberauees on the base of the upper mandible of 
t 
