zoNiFKR, i!7:5 



These birds breed well in conriiiement. There has been a female in the aviary at the 

 Botanic Gardens, Sydney, for many years. In September, 1908, I noticed one of its eggs on 

 the floor of the aviary, and a Land Rail (H\fi>t,eiiidia aiatrali^) and a Spur-winged Plover 

 (Lohivanellns lohatns) busily engaged in eating it. In October of the following year I saw a 

 half-eaten egg of this species in the same aviary. 



Mr. George Savidge wrote from Copmanhurst, New South Wales, as follows : — " I have 

 seen the Black-breasted Plover (Zonifcv tricolor) only once in the Copmanhurst District. .\ 

 small flock of six or seven birds appeared here during the dry season of 1902. Four eggs of 

 this species were brought to me the same season by a person working on Ramornie Station." 



Mr. E. H. Lane, of Orange, sent me the following notes : — " Mr. W. Brown, my late over- 

 seer, who now has a selection half way between Wambangalang Station and Dubbo, took a set 

 of three Black-breasted Plover's eggs on the ist May. On the 15th June, when I was there, he 

 told me there was then a nearly half grown brood running about. I ha\e never taken their 

 eggs earlier than August, and sometimes as late as November." 



Mr. Thos. P.Austin wrote me from Cobborah Station, Cobbora, New South W'ales : — 

 " Zouifir tricolor is not entirely a resident species, but birds are to be seen for proliably 

 ten months of the year ; they usually depart about March, returning again early in May. No 

 doubt if the season was a suitable one they would remain throughout the year. The earliest 

 notes I have of seeing their eggs is the 28th June, 1909, but most of them commence breeding 

 towards the end of July, and finish about the end of September. I have, however, seen their 

 eggs as late as the 12th November, 1908, and strange to say I saw two nests with eggs the same 

 day, the only ones I have ever seen in November. They nearly always lay four eggs, and on 

 successive days, but this is not always the case. I ha\'e known them to go three days between 

 the third and fourth egg. As a rule where there is one nest more of them are not very far away, 

 no doubt the reason of this is they always have their favourite feeding grounds, which are also 

 their nesting ground, probably for the benefit of their young. So when the breeding time 

 arrives they simply pair oil and lay anywhere, usually amongst horse or cow dung, and I have 

 seen about a dozen pairs of birds with nests on as many acres. They are very solicitous for 

 their eggs and young ; when sitting, if hunted off the nest they will very soon return to it, even 

 though the intruder may not be a hundred yards away watching them. If one sits down beside 

 a nest the bird will come within a few feet, and go through all sorts of antics in trying to draw 

 one away. The young leave the nest the day they are hatched, and like the Spur-winged 

 Plover they are experts at hiding, and do so immediately the old birds give a warning note 

 of danger. Sometimes during hot weather they are found far away from their usual feeding 

 ground, camped in flocks under trees, near water." Writing on the 26th July, 1910, Mr. Austin 

 remarked : — " The Black-breasted Plovers have practically deserted the place this year, and 

 what few are here have not started nesting yet ; last year they had eggs in May." 



Mr. Alfred E. Ivatt wrote me as follows in fanuary, 1900, from Glanmire, near Bathurst, 

 New South Wales: — " I found a Black-breasted Plover's nest with eight eggs in it last season. 

 I fancy the reason was that some Crows had nested in the vicinity, and taken the eggs from 

 one pair, and they had joined the other pair for mutual protection against the marauding Crows; 

 both sets seemed fresh. I took one set, quite distinct in colour from the other, and the remaining 

 set was in due course hatched out." 



From Broken Hill, South-western New South Wales, Dr. W. Macgillivray, wrote: — • 

 " Zonifcr tricolor is plentiful throughout Western New South Wales, and especially when grass- 

 hoppers and caterpillars are abundant on the plains and valleys amongst the hills, where they 

 can run and hunt their food unimpeded by too luxurious a growth of herbage. When insect 

 life is not so abundant, they are content to live upon the seeds of grasses and other plants. 

 Nesting commences early in July, and continues until September, when food is plentiful. In 



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