. Natural history. Zoology. STONE- CURLE WS—B USTARDS. 273 The Stone- Plovers. — Sub-order (jEdicnemi. Africa, and one, the coromandel courser (0. coromdnricVicus), is plentiful in the Indian Peninsula. Of the allied genus Pddnopi'dii^^ eight species are known, all Ethiopian, excepting one, K. bitorq^iah(s, which is a bush- frequenting species in a restricted area of Central India. These birds, with their great yellow eyes and stout legs, form the connect- inc group between the plovers and the bustards. They have holorhinal nostrils like the latter, and in many anatomical characters are more l
. Natural history. Zoology. STONE- CURLE WS—B USTARDS. 273 The Stone- Plovers. — Sub-order (jEdicnemi. Africa, and one, the coromandel courser (0. coromdnricVicus), is plentiful in the Indian Peninsula. Of the allied genus Pddnopi'dii^^ eight species are known, all Ethiopian, excepting one, K. bitorq^iah(s, which is a bush- frequenting species in a restricted area of Central India. These birds, with their great yellow eyes and stout legs, form the connect- inc group between the plovers and the bustards. They have holorhinal nostrils like the latter, and in many anatomical characters are more like the latter sub-order than the Charadrii. They are found throughout the temperate and tropical portions of the Old World, and re-occur in Central and South America. The common stone-curlew, thick-knee, or Norfolk plover, is found on barren wolds and shingly portions of the coast in many parts of England. It occurs in similar situations throughout Central and Southern Europe, as far east as India. It is a particularly shy bird, and on the approach of danger, it sinks its body on the ground, and lies quite flat, with its neck stretched out. The little nestlings, which are clothed with greyish- bull' down, also endeavour to conceal themselves in like manner. The eggs, two in number, are laid on the bare ground, without any attempt at a nest, and are stone-coloured, with brown and grey markings, and so closely resemble stones that they are very difficult to find. Of ^ the seven other species of stone-curlew known, four are African and three American. In Australia the long-legged thick-knee {Burhiims gndlarius), and in India and the Malay Archi- pelago two gigantic species, Esacus reeurrirostris, and Orthm-hamphus waginrostris, occur. Like the stone-curlew, the bustards have holorhinal nostrils, as well as a sjjlit or schizognathous palate. The breast-bone has two notches on its posterior margin, there is no oil-gland, and the feathers have a distinct after-shaft. In the male
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