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 in co rrect; for, wishing to procure a few
specimens in the breeding-plumage, I employed a boy to take them for m e : this he did by ensnaring them on
the n e s t; 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 O ctober; 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 o f 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 hills and sloping fields.
During the day they keep themselves concealed and crouched on the ground ; but at sunset they put themselves
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, a t 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 o f 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 occasionally
patches of grass with bushes interspersed, but, generally, in some retired and secluded spots. I t is
more rare in lower Bengal and in Malabar than in most other districts. When a flock o f 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. I t 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. I t is excellent eating, being very high-flavoured, and has received the name
of Bastard Florikin among some sportsmen in the south o f India. It feeds almost entirely upon insects, is
quite nocturnal in its habits ; and its wild long cry may frequently be heard a t 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 g re y ; 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 o f detection.
I regard the fact stated by Mr. Salmon, that the male takes p art in the performance of incubation, as
most interesting; i t is well known that the males of the Ostrich, Emu, and other struthious birds act in a
similar manner. The trivial name o f Thick-knee, given to this bird, is only applicable to its youthful sta te ;
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 o f a light mottled
stony hue, diversified by conspicuous longitudinal lines o f black across the forehead, down 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.