Norfolk, says: — “The (Edicnemus crepitans is very numerously distributed over all our warrens and fallow 
lands during the breeding-season, which commences about the second week in April, the female depositing 
her pair of eggs upon the bare ground, without any nest whatever. It is generally supposed that the males 
take no part in the labour of incubation ; but this would seem to be incorrect ; for, wishing to procure a few 
specimens in the hreeding-plumage, I employed a boy to take them for me : this he did by ensnaring them on 
the nest; and all he caught proved, on dissection, to be males. They assemble in flocks previously to their 
departure, which is usually by the end of October ; but should the weather continue open, a few will remain 
to a much later period. I started one as late as the 9th of December in the winter of 1834.” 
Valmont Bomare states that in France “ the Great Plovers arrive pretty early in spring. They settle on 
the dry grounds filled with stones, among fallows and stubbles, preferring low bills and sloping fields. 
During the day they keep themselves concealed and crouched on the ground ; but at sunset they put them- 
selves in motion, and are then heard to commence their cries, which they do not cease to repeat during the 
fine summer nights. When surprised, they run with extreme rapidity, fly low and but for short distances, 
are very wild and not easily approached. The female lays two or, at most, three eggs, in the midst of 
pebbles or gravel in some depression of the ground, or in a hollow which the birds have formed by scraping. 
It is said that they sometimes have two broods in the year, that incubation continues for a month, and that 
the growth of the feathers is slow in the young ; they are, in fact, nearly full-grown before they can fly, their 
wing-feathers not having yet sprouted ; but they run in this state with great lightness, and at this age 
appear as stupid as they are timid.” In November the Great Plovers set out on their journey to warmer 
climates; and it appears that even in summer they do not advance far northward. 
The food of the Stone-Plover is extremely varied ; but mainly consists of slugs, grasshoppers, crickets, 
grubs, coleopterous and other insects, to which are added mice, lizards, and, doubtless, young birds. As 
an article of food, my friend J. W. Larking, Esq., informs me its flesh is most excellent; and from the 
many opportunities he has had of testing it during his long sojourn in Egypt, where the bird is very common, 
he is no incompetent judge. 
Mr. Jerdon states that “ the well-known Stone-Plover of England occurs in most parts of India, down to 
the extreme south, frequenting bushy wilds, cleared spots in jungle, low, stony, and jungly hills, and occa- 
sionally patches of grass with bushes interspersed, but, generally, in some retired and secluded spots. It is 
more rare in lower Bengal and in Malabar than in most other districts. When a flock of these birds is 
disturbed, they fly a short distance and then run and hide themselves, occasionally squatting so close as to 
have received from the Tamuls the name of Jungle-hare. They are permanent residents in India. It is a 
favourite quarry for the Shikra Falcon with the natives, for which its habit of lying close well adapts it, and it 
generally falls an easy prey. It is excellent eating, being very high-flavoured, and has received the name 
of Bastard Florikin among some sportsmen in the south of India. It feeds almost entirely upon insects, is 
quite nocturnal in its habits ; and its wild long cry may frequently be heard at night, close to many stations 
where you may hunt long without finding it in the day-time.” 
The eggs, which are about two inches and a half in length by an inch and a half in breadth, are of a pale 
greyish brown, blotched, spotted, and streaked with dark brown and purplish grey ; and so closely do they 
and the young chicks (in their downy state) assimilate to the colour of the materials around, that both are 
very difficult of detection. 
I regard the fact stated by Mr. Salmon, that the male takes part in the performance of incubation, as 
most interesting; it is well known that the males of the Ostrich, Emu, and other struthious birds act in a 
similar manner. The trivial name of Thick-knee, given to this bird, is only applicable to its youthful state ; 
when fully adult the legs are as fine as in any other Plover. 
The sexes are alike in colour, and differ but little in size. The young birds, in their downy state, are 
very curious and interesting, both in their appearance and colouring — the latter being of a light mottled 
stony hue, diversified by conspicuous longitudinal lines of black across the forehead, dowm the neck and 
back, and along the flanks. 
The Plate represents an adult and two young birds, of the natural size, with an adult flying in the 
distance, from a drawing by Mr. Wolf, and not, as stated on the Plate, by Gould and Richter. 
