Chakadkiid^. BIRDS. The Cream-coloured Courser. 409 
latter there is a broader black band, crossed in the 
and arched towards the apex. It is rather a largo 
middle by a white one. 
species, measuring about seventeen inches in length. 
The little Bustard is generally distributed in South- 
In this country the Thick-knee occurs only in the 
ern Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa. In 
summer, and is more abundant in the southern and 
northern countries it is only a straggler, and the 
eastern counties of England than elsewhere. It fre- 
individuals killed in Britain cannot be regarded other- 
quents especially the sandy plains of Norfolk, from 
wise than as accidental visitors. As they occur here 
which circumstance it is frequently called the Norfolk 
only in winter, and chiefly in the eastern counties. 
Plover. It is also found in most of the temperate and 
they probably come to us from the north of Europe. 
warmer parts of the Old World. The food of these 
The little Bustard frequents open districts, and has a 
birds consists chiefly of worms, slugs, and insects, but 
rapid and powerful flight. Its food consists of herbage. 
they are likewise said to devour small mammalia and 
seeds of various kinds, and insects. The eggs are laid 
reptiles. They frequent open districts, heaths, and 
upon the ground amongst tall herbage ; they vary in 
fallow fields, and the female deposits' her two eggs upon 
number from three to five. 
the bare ground. These birds appear to be‘ crepuscular 
THE HOTJBARA BUSTARD {Eupodotis undulata), 
or nocturnal in their habits, and their shrill whistling 
which inhabits Northern Africa, is also met with in 
note is often heard at night in the solitary districts 
Spain. It is considerably smaller than the Great 
which they haunt. 
Bustard, which it resembles in general form, but has 
THE CREAM-COIOURED COURSER {Cursorius gal- 
the legs still more elongated; its general colour is 
licus) is another species closely allied to the Bustards, 
yellowish or buff, delicately mottled with numerous 
with which it agrees in its general habits. It is aji 
small brown spots ; the wing primaries are black with a 
inhabitant of the northern parts of Africa, and is said 
white spot in the middle ; the male is adorned on the 
to be more abundant in Abyssinia than elsewhere. On 
head with a crest of long light feathers, and on the 
the north coast of Africa it is known as a summer 
sides of the neck with a large ruff of similar plumes. 
visitor from the interior, and a few specimens have 
Other species of this group are met with in Africa, 
been known to extend their migration into Europe, and 
India, and Australia ; they are all very similar both in 
even as far north as this country. This bird is much 
appearance and habits. 
smaller than the preceding species, measuring only 
about ten inches in length. Its general colour is pale 
Family II. — CHAEADEIID^. 
buffy-brown above, and buffy-white beneath ; the pri- 
maries are black, and the head exhibits a white and 
This family, the best known species of which are 
black streak on each side, meeting behind ; the feet are 
the Plovers, includes a considerable assemblage of 
cream colour. Like the rest of its genus the Cream- 
various forms, some of which exhibit much resemblance 
coloured Courser runs with extreme rapidity. It fre- 
to the Bustards both in appearance and habits, whilst 
quents dry ground. 
others partake more of the chai'acters of some of the 
THE BRAZEN- WINGED COURSER [Cursorius chat- 
genuine wading birds. In these birds the bill is 
copterus) — Plate 23, fig. 86— also called the Purple- 
usually shorter than the head, and the basal part of 
WINGED Courser, is a native of Southern and Tropical 
the upper mandible is depressed, soft, and weak, whilst 
Africa. It is about the same size as the preceding 
the apical portion is stronger, harder, and more or less 
species, but has a shorter and stouter bill. The general 
arched. The nostrils are situated in long- grooves. 
colour of its plumage is an ashy-brown ; the head is 
which extend half the length of the upper mandible. 
variegated with white and reddish-brown, and the 
The legs and feet are usually much elongated and 
wing-feathers are adorned with violet spots, margined 
slender, with the naked skin extending considerably 
with a shining green band. 
above the articulation of the tarsus ; the anterior toes 
THE COLLARED PRATINCOLE [Glareola toi'quata) 
are but moderately developed, and united at the base 
—Plate 23, fig. 87. The Pratincoles, all of which are 
by a small membrane ; the posterior toe is often want- 
inhabitants of the Eastern hemisphere, are distinguished 
ing, and, when present, attached to the back of the 
by the shortness of their bill, which is considerably 
tarsus at some little distance from the ground. 
arched, and has its gape very wide, extending back as 
The majority of the birds of this family are inhab- 
far as the eyes, as in the Fissirostral birds. From this 
itants of the,Eastern hemisphere. They are found in 
peculiarity, coupled with its long, narrow, and pointed 
all localities, generally in flocks, and some of them 
wings and forked tail, Linnaeus was induced to arrange 
frequent fields and pastures at a distance from water, 
the species known to him in the same genus with the 
whilst others haunt the margins of rivers and lakes, or 
swallows, although, at the same time, recognizing its 
even seek their subsistence on the sea-shore. Many of 
relationship to the wading birds. 
them are migratory birds, passing to high latitudes 
The Collared Pratincole is an inhabitant of the 
diming the summer for the purpose of breeding. 
warmer and temperate parts of Africa, Asia, and 
THE COMMON THICK-KNEE {(Edicnemus crepi- 
Europe, migrating towards the north in the spring, 
tans) — Plate 22, fig. 85 — is one of the species belonging 
sometimes even as far as England. In its general 
to this family which make the nearest approach to the 
habits this bird resembles the plovers, frequenting 
Bustards. It has long legs, terminated by only three 
sandy plains and the margins of water, and running 
toes, which are united for some distance by a mem- 
with great rapidity. As might be expected, from the 
brane ; its nostrils are situated near the middle of the 
form of its wings and tail, it also flies remarkably 
beak, which is depressed and weak at the base, horny 
well, its flight greatly resembling that of a swallow; 
VoL. I. 52 
