248 aCDICSKMID.K. 



upper reaches of the Clarence River. In winter they con^'re^^ate in large (locks. I have seen 

 over one hundred birds together. Tliey scatter over the newly ploughed fields at night, picknig 

 up various insects and their lar\';r turned out by the ploughman. As daylight approaches they 

 retire and pass the day in some (juiet nook not much disturbed ; if shot at a few times they 

 leave to find another quiet spot. I ha\e found the two eggs laid on the bare ground many 

 times. The breeding season commences in .\ugust, and odd nesting spots may be found till 

 December, but September is the chief laying month. I once saw a Wedge-tailed Eagle swoop 

 down and carry olf a Stone-I'lover, and no doubt many fall a prey to this bird." 



Mr. Thos. P. Austin wrote me as follows from Cobbarah Station, Cobbora, New South 

 Wales: — " .Although /<'»/7;;;;;(s c''i"''''"'"'s is found throughout this district in large nuiubers, 1 

 have at no time of the year observed it assembled in ilocks such as I often saw in the 

 Western District of \'ictoria. Here they are always found in pairs, and a pair of birds 

 will remain about the same locality for months, and sdmetimes for weeks can be found under 

 the same tree. I'hey usually commence to lay towards the end of September, and eggs 

 may be found during the next two months. This species builds no nest, but simply lays 

 anywhere upon the ground ; many of the birds sit in the broiling sun of November and 

 December. This must be rather trying to them, because they are biids which are naturally 

 accustomed to the shade of a tree during the day. When disturbed from their eggs they often 

 fly straight away; at other times they usually run away." 



Dr. W. .Macgilli\'ray sends me the followitig notes from llruken lliU, South-w-estern New 

 South Wales:—"! have met with Bitvhinui i^rallai-ius in every part of .Australia that I have 

 visited. In the southern half, I am afraid, its ranks are being rapidly thinned by the introduced 

 Fox, even if the birds by flying have a chance against so wily a foe, the young and eggs have 

 none at all. When Mr. W. McLennan and I were collecting in this district, we found 

 evidence plainly written on the sand of a tragic meeting between these two. We were following 

 the tracks of a Fox up a watercourse and out on a bare space of wind blown sand, when the 

 wily animal's paw-prints halted as they came upon those of the Stone-Flover ; these they then 

 followed, shortening and stopping at intervals, and taking advantage of all available cover, till 

 from behind a mound formed by the drifting sand on a fallen bush, the footprints on one 

 side, and the feathers of the \ictim on the other, told ol a successful stalk. My last lind 

 of a nest of this species was on the large island blocking the moutii of the Escape Ki\er inlet, 

 twenty-five miles south of Somerset, on the Cape York Peninsula. 1 'r. Dobbyn and I noticed 

 a Stone-Plover fly up from a bare space under some trees; allowing for the run before flight, I 

 soon found the pair of eggs placed on the ground without any nest, amongst the litter that had 

 fallen from two straggling trees." 



P^om Melbourne, Victoria, Mr. G. .A. Keartland wrote as follows: — "The weird note of 

 Burhinus ^yaUarius was the first intimation that announced to the rerunant of the CaK'ert 

 Exploring iLxpedition that they were approaching water, after crossing the Cireat Desert of 

 North-western i\ustralia. I have found these birds in every part of .Australia 1 have visited. 

 They prefer open forest country, where they rest on the ground durin;_; the day but lly more 

 during the night. .Although nocturnal in habit, they are very wary and dillicult to approach. 

 On se\eral occasions when following them I have suddenly missed one, which I have after- 

 wards found lying flat on the ground, with head and neck stretched out as though dead. 

 Whilst in Iviverina I caught a pair ol newly hatched young ones, which 1 took to our camp, 

 and in a few days they became great pets. They used to wade in the shallow water in (juest 

 of food, and seemed cjuite capable of taking care of themselves. Some years ago I gave 

 one that I had caught to a friend living at Glenferrie. It was turned loose in a lar.i;e garden, 

 and on moonlight nij^hts was seen to be very busy looking for the larva' of the Codlin-moth 

 under the Apple and Pear trees. In a few weeks it was heard calling at nij;ht, and as an 



