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NESTS AND EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



frequently laid. The eggs are deposited on the bai-e ground, buriit-up, 

 sandy paddy-fjelds being much frequented. No great niunber of birds 

 breed together, nor have I ever found two nests vei-y close to each other. 

 The finding of eggs is consequently veiy laborious work. When dis- 

 turbed, the sitting bird flies round one's head for a short time and then 

 goes away. But when the yoimg are lying hid, then the birds display 

 great anxiety, and it is on these occasions that the bii'd squats on the 

 ground with wings outspread and neck stretched out. I fancy this 

 action is meant to counterfeit lameness, and so draw the intruder off 

 the scent. The young bird runs as soon as it is hatched. Its colour 

 is a mixed pepper and salt, the black preponderating. " 



So much for the bird in its Oriental home. But it has been left to 

 Mr. G. A. Keaitland, as a reward for his enthusiasm as a field 

 naturalist, to observe and describe wonderful flocks of these birds in 

 their Austral quarters and by-way, extending the locality of the species 

 to North-west Australia, where he procui'ed several skins near the 

 Fitzroy River. In the " List of Birds " of the Calvert Expedition (1897), 

 Mr. Keartland writes : " During January I noticed a flight of strange 

 birds, which afterwards proved to be this Pratincole, about a quarter of 

 a mile from the telegraph station. I ran for my gun, but was surprised 

 to see the birds rising fronx the ground like a continuous column of smoke 

 and circling overhead imtil they spread out so a.s to almost obsciux the 

 sky. I was within one hundred yards of them when the last bird left 

 tlie gi'ound. After soaring and rising in the air they disappeared in a 

 southerly direction. For about a mouth afterwards they were seen in 

 lai'ge flocks nearly eveiy day coming from the West, and later in the 

 evening returning in that direction. They came in a similar manner 

 to a flight of Swifts, scattered over a wide area and circling or dashing 

 along in pursuit of insects. Those shot had their gullets filled with 

 beetles and grasshoppers. Owing to their tender skin I found it difiicult 

 to obtain specimens. Although a number was shot, those which fell 

 any distance were ruined by striking the gi'ound, as the concussion 

 invariably knocked oflf large pieces of skin. The examples secured were 

 shot whilst skimming over a swamp, from which they were retrieved by 

 a little black lu-chin about eight years old. Tlie natives were veiy 

 indignant at my shooting these birds, and a deputation from the blacks' 

 camp explained for my edification that if I killed any more a big rain 

 would come and never stop until it had washed everything away. Tlie 

 appearance of this bird is regarded by residents of North-west Australia 

 as an indication of the approach of rain, and it is locally known as the 

 ' Little Stonn Bird.' " 



The eggs of the Oriental Pratincole in my collection were collected 

 at Akyab, Bumiah, season 1885. 



