STONE-CLllLEW.
soil. The loosened ground affords heller means of obtaining worms and beetles, their usual food ; and the
birds appear particularly lo delight in the partial concealment which the young trees afford in the first year
or two. As soon as the trees attain any size, all attraction ceases. This bird, with us, is, I believe, reckoned
worthless for the table, being very hard and dry; in India, where it is called the Goggle-eyed Floriean, it is
in great repute. It slays very late before it migrates,—in mild seasons to the very end of November, and
even into December." "When referring to the remains or Falconry in Norfolk the same author also states
"Occasionally the Norfolk Plover {(EtUcucmtta ci-cpihim) was pursued, and gave very good flights. The
Carrion Crow also, anil the Magpie, were in turn objects of sport."
The headquarters of this species in the British Islands are, as one of its names, the Norfolk Plover,
denotes, in the eastern counties. Abuut the large warrens in the neighbourhood of Tbetford and other parts
of Norfolk it is reported to hived nbundanlly; in this locality I never explored their haunts, and only
observed a few of these birds about the Broad districts in Norfolk, where they were merely accidental
visitors usually seen late in autumn or early spring. On the South Downs in Sussex, from above Worthing
to Newhaven, these fine Plovers * are by no means scarce, being perhaps most plentiful on the range of hills
between Brighton and Lewes. Here numbers of pairs are to be met with iu spring and summer, hut, unless
searched for by those who understand their habits, the whole would in most cases escape observation.
I never eamc across this species during winter, though they are said to lie occasionaBy flushed from
turnip-fields late in autumn; and it is most probable that the majority leave the country on the approach
of cold weather for a warmer climate. A specimen shot near a pool of brackish water on the coast near
Bexhill in Sussex was brought into a bird-staffer's shop iu St. Leonards-on-Sca during the hard winter
of 18G0, about the latter end of December, and doubtless a few remain every winter, though they generally
escape notice owing to their retiring habits. A few years back I was informed by a shepherd who
tended his flock on the Downs near Fabncr, halfway between Brighton and Leaes, that he had 6een Gvo
flying together in January lS7(i. The man was well acquainted with this species, which he spoke of as
the Hill-Curlew, and had pointed out to me several nests on this part of the Downs during the previous
Some years back I reared two or three broods of these birds taken on the Downs near St. Mary's
Farm, a milo north of Falmcr; it was, however, discovered after a few weeks that the Herring-Gulls
with which they were con lined could not be trusted. At last I caught them in the very act of murdering
one with which they had lived in peace and quietness for five or six weeks; looking over into their
enclosure 1 detected a couple holding down the unfortunate bird, while the third rascal was hammering
in its skull with repeated strokes from bis powerful beak; the whole party- immediately retreated on
my appearance, but the crime was already accomplished. At this misfortune 1 separated the survivors
from their persecutors; but having little or nothing to learn concerning the habits of this species by
retaining them in captivity, their wings were eventually permitted to gruw and they took their departuro
when inclined to make a move; for some weeks after leaving they were heard calling at night, indicating
that a flying i is.it bad been paid to the neighbourhood of their old quarters. Bach uf these birds devoured
about haB' a pound of chopped meat or the same quantity of worms every day; they were, however,
always timid, retreating to shelter when inspected, and it appeared improbable they would ever become
ciuitiding and Unio• like Gull-. Diu-k-, or (iuillcmols.
The specimens obtained for my collection were procured on the open Downs and also in the, sloping
hollows of the hilt-sides devoted to the feeding of sheep, rabbits, and game, where no attempt at cultivation
had been made. The workmen employed at a farm near Faltner drew my attention to a couple of eggs
on a field of young corn; I failed, however, to obtain the birds, and the ever watchful and thieving
' Mere thty ire genwilly known i< l a t t Plovor..
STONl'i-CBBLEW.
Black Crows carried off the eggs. A short and condensed extract from my notes, taken while collecting
in Sussex in 1S72, may possibly give an insight into the babils of this species and also draw attention
to a peculiarity in the formation of flic heuk of the adult male that has previously escaped the notice of
all writers :—
"May 111. Drove from Brighton on to the Downs near Fahuer, following tho hiU-road to Fluiuptou
Bostlc to tho spot where a shepherd had band the nest of a Stone-Curlew with two eggs. On carefully
approaching, the birds rose before we came in view and did not return fur some hours; at dusk I
was again on the spot, and the male and female a second time got on wing before we were within a
hundred yards.—May 11. Again tried my luck at the same pair of birds; soon after daybreak I crawled
near the nest while a man walked boldly from the opposite direction to the spot where it was situated.
The birds, however, succeeded in getting away without being observed, as on handling the eggs they
were found to be hot, and it was impossible they could have been left many minute*. Three hours
later another attempt, was made, and I now crept flat down in among the rough grass up to about
forty yards from the nest, while the man came openly from the opposite direction. This time tho male
bird came running eluse up lo me before detecting danger; so low did be crouch down that he appeared
no higher than a rabbit while gliding stealthily through the short healher and grass. After obtaining
this specimen, we constructed a shelter of dead branches, furze, and heather, and I was then concealed
and watched the place fur the return of the female; a couple of hours later she circled round once or
twice, and then settled about two hundred yards lower down the hill, but on crawling silently to the
mark 1 had taken when she alighted, no signs of her could bo discovered. Shortly before dusk she
again flew past, calling loudly, and after remaining iu view for a few minutes touk a course away
towards the cast and was not seen again. As the darkness commenced, very heavy clouds gathered
suddenly all round from the north and east and a terrible hailstorm broke over all the country within view.
After five minutes the whole expanse of the Downs was covered thick with immense drops of hail and
ice, the hills appearing as white as if a fall of snow bad taken place. The following morning no
signs uf the bird could he defected, and the eggs, having evidently been descried, were taken. The male
bird I had procured had two small fleshy protuberances on the base of Ins beak, somewliut resembling
those of a Pigeon, but rather larger ; the female, I remarked, did not show any elevation el tLis description
on her upper mandible. On the 13th I learned from the shepherds that three of the Curlews had been
seen in company near the spot where the nest bad been taken on Sunday, but to-day none were to be
met with."
Another nest or, rather, clutch of eggs, as there is only a scratch iu the soil to do service for a
cradle, was heard of at St. Mary's Farm near Fahuer, and on the 17TH of the month 1 drove over to
secure the female, if possible, as oue was still needed as a specimen. She had selected her quarters
in a field of young oats, ou very open ground, and the first, two attempts lo get within range were
failures, as she left her eggs while we were more than a hundred yards distant. On the third occasion
1 risked a long shot; but, though evidently hard hit, the poor bird [hipped on out of sight over the
brow of the bill, and, ns far as I was able to ascertain, never returned to her eggs, having perished
from the effects of the wounds received from the charge. Only one bird was seen by the men employ ed
at the farm to resort to that part of the ground for the remainder of the season, and tho eggs, I
ascertained on a subsequent visit, were sucked by the Crows.
Again over to St. Mary's Farm on the 23rd, as I had been informed that another pair of ''Norfolk
Plovers"* had been observed by the gamekeepers frequenting some ground about a mile and a hall
furlber west than the last nest. While proceeding with two or three attendants along the hill-side to