250 
NATURAL HISTORY 
tions, and seldom able to preserve the true centre of 
gravity* 
These long-legged plovers are birds of South Europe, 
and rarely visit our island; and when they do, are wan- 
derers and stragglers, and impelled to make so distant 
and northern an excursion from motives or accidents for 
which we are not able to account. 
This bird is common in Egypt and the warmer parts 
of America, where it feeds on flies and other insects; 
but it is very rare in England. 
Green Plover. This bird is much about the same 
size as the lapwing, and has a short round black bill, 
sharp at the end, and a little hooked. The tongue, 
which fills all the inner chap of the bill, is triangular at 
the tip, horny underneath, and turns a little up. The 
feathers of the back and wings are black, thick set with 
transverse spots of a yellowish green colour: the breast 
is brown, spotted with yellowish green; the belly is 
white: and, like the stilt plover, it has no hind claw or 
spur. 
These birds are found in France, Switzerland, Italy, 
and in most counties of England; in all which places 
they are esteemed a choice dish, their flesh being Very 
tender, and of an exceeding agreeable flavour. They 
feed chiefly upon worms; though some authors have af- 
firmed they live, like the grasshopper, upon nothing but 
dew. 
This bird was called paradalis by the ancients,, from 
its beautiful spots, which somewhat resemble those of 
the leopard. 
Knot. (PI. 43.) This bird measures not more than 
nine inches and weighs only four ounces and a half. The 
head and neck are ash colour, the back and scapulars 
brown, with a white bar on the wings. They frequent 
the coast of Lincolnshire, from August to November, 
and when fattened are preferred by some to the ruffs 
themselves. 
The Ruff. (PI. 43.) The ruff, is about a foot in 
length, with a bill about an inch. The face is covered 
with yellow pimples; and the back part of the head and 
