THE COMMON THICK-KNEE. Edicnemus crepitans. PLATE XXIV. - Charadrius cdicnemus, Linn.-Edicnemus crepitans, Edicneme criard, Temm. — Thick-kneed Plover or Bustard, Great or Norfolk Plover, Stone Curlew, Common Thickknee of British authors. WE trace the alliance in this bird to the Bustards, in its frequenting extensive and open downs, and in its laying, generally, only two eggs, of a form varying from the peculiar outline of the Plovers, Dotterels, and some of their allies. Some of the foreign species also stand equal in height to some of the intermediate sized Indian and African Bustards. As one of its names implies, the sandy plains of Norfolk are a favourite and abundant locality for this bird, where it periodically arrives and breeds. It is found in many other southern and eastern counties, but no where so abundantly. It is found more sparingly in Lincolnshire and Lancashire. Mr. Yarrell states, "farther north than Yorkshire I do not trace it." We have no record of its appearance farther north, or of its being ever met with in Scotland, and Mr. Thompson places it, as an extremely rare visitant, to Ireland. In its more common periodical haunts, it appears in April and the beginning of May; and, after breeding. takes its departure in Cctober, previous to which it assembles in flocks like the plovers. There are instances mentioned, notwithstanding, of specimens being seen in December,* and of its appearance so early as February. † The eggs are deposited on the bare ground, without any nest, and generally in stony or shingly places; and the fallows in some districts serve as breeding grounds. They are nightfeeding birds, a habit indicated by their large and prominent eyes; and while insects, particularly Coleoptera, constitute a great portion of their food, during their residence in this country, worms, reptiles, and even small mammalia, are said to be also devoured by them. On the continent the species seems to be pretty generally, though locally spread, as a summer visitant. We have it ranging to the plains between the Black and Caspian Seas, to Asia Minor§ and Madeira. A specimen before us, procured from Norfolk, has the upper parts yellowish-brown; the centre of each feather umber-brown, dilating at the base, and running along the shaft to the tip; on the shoulders the dark tints are deeper, and a series of feathers are barred with yellowish-white, which is apparent, and, from the contrast, shows a diagonal band across * Mr. J. D. Salmon. + Montague. § Strickland. + Hohenacher. || Yarrell. that part; the greater wing-coverts are cream-yellow, edged with purplish-black, the quills and secondaries are also purplish black, the two first quills with a large diagonal yellowish-white patch, about an inch and a half from the tip, and which, on the first quill, crosses both the webs, on the second the inner only; the lower parts white, or yellowishwhite; the chin and fore part of the neck unshaded ; the neck, breast, belly, and flanks, narrowly dashed along the shaft of each feather with umber-brown; the feathers of the under tail-coverts ochreous, the shafts dark; in the tail, the centre feathers are pale yellowish-brown, the others brownish-black at the tips for a considerable space, succeeded by a broad yellowish-white bar running diagonally, afterwards alternately bordered with the brown and yellowishwhite to the base,-upon the under surface these bars appear very clear and decided; the bill is black at the tip; the base, and on the edges of the rictus, primrose-yellow; behind the eyes there is also a bare space nearly of the same colour; legs and feet greenish-yellow. The female does not vary materially, and no seasonal change has been pointed out by ornithologists. SWIFTFOOT. THE Courser or Swiftfoot, which leads us nearer the typical Charadriada, are Little Bustard Plovers, intermediate in many respects, and showing a beautiful gradation of form. With the exception of their frequenting arid plains or steppes, we know little of their economy, and one specimen only occurs in the British List as an occasional and rare visitant. CURSORIUS, Latham.-Generic characters.-Bill Type, C. Europæus, bicinctus, &c. Europe, Asia, THE CREAM-COLOURED SWIFTFOOT, CURSORIUS EUROPEUS. Cursorius Europeus, Lath.-C. Isabellinus, Meyer, etc.-Courvite Isabelle, Temm.— Cream-Coloured Courser or Swiftfoot of British authors.-This interesting bird appears to be of extreme rarity both in Britain and upon the continent, all the instances of its occurrence being capable of being enumerated within the limits of a page. Four specimens seem only to be noted, at the present time, as having been killed in Britain,-the first in Kent, which was presented to Dr. Latham, and served for his description of the bird; another in North Wales; a third in Yorkshire; and the last in Charnwood Forest, Leicestershire. No examples have occurred either in Scotland or Ireland. the continent, stray specimens are mentioned by different writers as being met with, but the instances are extremely few. Africa appears to be its most abundant locality, or its stronghold; but little is known either of its habits or nidification, the specimens which have been observed here being in localities foreign to their habits. The other species of the genus are natives of Africa and India, frequent extensive dry plains or sandy deserts, and have both a powerful flight, and run with extreme swiftness, as the name implies, and which may be at once seen from the structure of the feet and legs. On The crown is pale buff-orange, shading into grey; on the hind head there is a triangular spot of black, terminating in a streak from the posterior angle of |