ILEMATOFUS, OQ3 



Adult male. — (,%;irra/ colour ahoi;- and UIow xooty-hJack, dujhlly ylossed on Ike u.^k and hack 

 with green and sliadnl n-it/i brownish-black on the quills; ''bill orange-red, paler at the tip; legs 

 and feel dark pink ; eyelids orange ; iris red" (Holclen). Total length IS inches, n-ing 11;.>, tail 

 4'8, bill ,J:1, tarsus 215. 



Adult fkmalk, — Similar in plmnage to the male. 



Dislnlmtwii.—Nonh-western Australia, Northern Territory, Queensland, New South Wales, 

 \'ictoria, South Australia, Western Australia, Islands of Bass Strait, Tasmania, New Zealand. 

 Y® IKE the preceding species the Sooty Oyster-Catcher is distributed, but less freely, over 

 J — X the coast line of Australia, becoming more plentiful on the rocky islets of Bass Strait 

 and headlands of Tasmania. In habits, it closely resembles its congener, ILrnuitopus longiroslns, 

 but it chietly frequents rocky headlands instead of sandy shores, and is even more wary than 

 that species. In company with the Rev. J. D. Nicholson I found this species breeding on a 

 narrow grass covered ledge of rock, thirty feet above the water, near "The Nobbys," Phillip 

 Island, on the ocean side of Western Port Bay, Victoria, and while there saw several sets 

 of its eggs previously taken off Seal Rocks, lying about three miles off the south-western 

 part of that island. By the aid of a field glass one could see numerous seals basking in the sun, 

 on the rocks, and many sea-birds hovering over it. This rock is a well known breeding place 

 of numberless Terns, Oyster-catchers and Gulls, but the difticulty of access, on account of 

 the risk of a boat being dashed to pieces on the rocks by the heavy surf almost continually 

 breaking upon it, renders the place a pretty secure retreat. Two adventurous spirits, in quest 

 of eggs, who landed there, through a storm arising were left on the rocks, eventually being taken 

 off several days later by the police in a boat, who thought they were intent on destroying the 

 seals. 



From Broome Hill, South-western Australia, Mr. Tom Carter sent the following notes:— 

 "HcTmatopus unicoloy is usually found on rough rocky shores. It is not nearly so numerous as 

 H. longirostyis, and is wilder in disposition. A pair of eggs was taken at Point Cloates, North- 

 western Australia, on the 12th September. These birds occur at Albany, where I saw a pair 

 on a rocky island in March, 1910." 



From Tasmania Mr. R. N. Atkmson svToie :—'' I Lnnatopus fulif^inosus is less often met with 

 on the beaches than //. longirostns, being a frequenter of small rocky islands and reefs, where it 

 breeds. The nest is usually a hollow m the ground, lined with tussocky grass or seaweed, 

 measuring about nine inches in diameter by two and a half inches in depth. Occasionally no 

 lining is used, the eggs being laid on the bare ground. Mr. W. J. T. Armstrong and my father 

 found eggs in various stages of incubation, whilst on some of the islands of the Furneaux Group, 

 in November, 1907, and in October, 1909, in the same locality, I had a similar experience, and 

 in the following month still found eggs both fresh and hard set on. These birds become excited 

 as one approaches their eggs, and with their loud piercing notes keep up a general clamour, 

 when the breeding place is intruded upon." 



Dr. Lonsdale Holden, while resident on the North-western coast of Tasmania, made the 

 following notes :—//<m,iA./.,/s /,//,>/ws;,s frequents Circular Head in small Hocks, and is very 

 wary. They seldom allow an approach within gunshot, and take to flight, uttering their loud 

 whistling cry along the shore, and alighting some distance away on a rocky promontory 

 ahead of one. After the Curlew they are the shyest bird on the coast. They may be obtained 

 by hiding among the rocks at high water, and getting a confederate to drive the flock along the 

 shore. They are very strong on the wing, and one sees these flocks take long flights far out 

 from the shore, keeping always near the surface of the sea. It is not such a noisy bird as 

 Hcematopns longiyostris, usually only uttering their long shrill whistling cry when alarmed, and 

 they frequent rocky places while the White-breasted Oyster-Catcher prefers sandy shores. On 



