784 NESTS AND EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



Sub-family — Charadriin*. 



603.— ZoNiFER TmcoLOR, Vieillot. — (502) 

 Sarciophorus pectoralis, Cuvier. 



BLACK-BREASTED PLOVER. 



Figure.— Gon\d : Birds of Australia, fol., vol. vi., pi. 11. 



Reference.— Ca.X. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. xxiv., p. 154. 



Previous Descriptions of Eggs. — Gould: Bird.s of Australia (1S4S), 

 also Handbook, vol. li., p. 223 (1865) ; Ramsay : Ibis, vol. iii., 

 new ser., with fig. (1867); Harting : Proc. Zool. Soc, p. 458 

 (1874): North: Austn. Mus. Cat., pi. 17, fig. 6 (1S89); 

 Campbell : Proc. Austn. Assoc, vol. v., p. 430 (1893). 



Geographical Distribution. — Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, 

 South and West Australia, and Tasmania. 



Jest. — An indentation in the gi'ound or slight hollow on a plain, 

 lined with a handful of portions of dead plants, roots of gi-ass, &c. 

 Dimensions, 5 to 6 inches across by 1 to 1 J inches deep. 



Eggs. — Clutch, fovu- ; pyriform in shape ; texture of shell, fine and 

 .slightly lustrous ; ground-coloiu", light olive-grey or olive-stone, marked 

 all over with small blotches and irregular spots brown. Dimensions 

 in inches of proper clutches: A (1) 1-82 x 1-25, (2) 1-77 x 1-26, 

 (3) 1-76 X 1-22, (4) 1-72 X 1-21: B (1) 1-81 x 1-26, (2) 1-8 x 1-23, 

 (3) 1-75 X 1-26, (4) 1-75 x 1-23. (Plate 22.) Tlie eggs of this beautifiU 

 species are readily distingiushed from those of the Spur-vdnged 

 Plover by their smaller size and finer (smaller) character of markings. 



Observations. — This remarkably fine bird is a size smaller than the 

 Spiu'-winged Plover, and is a frequenter more of plains than of swamps. 

 It is conspicuous with its black biea.st. The spur is absent from the 

 wing, and instead of the wattle upon the face there is an oval fleshy 

 excrescence on each side at the base of the bill, blood-red in the male 

 and flesh-coloured in the female. Of com'se, after death tlie coloiu* fades 

 out of these parts. The habitat of the Black -breasted Plover ranges 

 from Queensland round to Westirn Australia and extends to Tasmania. 



Two of oiu- leading ornithologists persistently overlook Tasmania as 

 a locality of this species as well a.s the Spur-winged Plover. But, in 

 including Tasmania in the geographical range for botli those birds, I 

 find I am in very good company, for Colonel Legge, in his treatise, 

 " On the Geographical Distribution of the Australian Uviicoftr," states 

 with regard to the Black-breasted Plover. that "it is not uncommon in 

 the midland districts of Tasm.ania." while of tlie Spur-winged species he 

 remarks that it " is an abundant .sjjccies in niaiiv parts of Tasm.ania." 

 One of my early reminiscences as a boy wa.i of tlie Black-breasted Plover. 



