HIMANTOPUS. 291 



identification, obtained by iiini on Norfolk Island, and the preceding year Mr. T. R. Icely, the 

 then Visiting Magistrate, secured a skin on Lord Howe Island, on behalf of the Trustees of the 

 Australian Museum." 



Mr. George Savidge sent tne the following note from Copnianhurst, New South Wales : — 

 " The White-headed Stilt ( Ilimantopns IciitOLCphahn) is plentifully dispersed in the swamps on 

 the lower reaches of the Clarence River. About Grafton and Ulmarra it is a fairly common 

 species. During September, 1899, my son found a colony breeding on the swamps that border 

 the Upper Coldstream, and succeeded in taking several of their nests and eggs, each nest 

 containing four eggs. The nest is placed in shallow water, and is a compact structure ; the 

 birds jumped up and down, and made a noise something like the barking of a dog, while their 

 nests were being exploited." 



The late Mr. K. II. Bennett, while resident at Mossgiel, South-western New South Wales, 

 wrote as follows : — " Hiinaitlopiis h-inocfplialiis is tolerably numerous here, but more especially 

 during very wet seasons. It associates in small Hocks from eight or nine to twelve or more in 

 number. It usually breeds during the month of October, laying four eggs, which are deposited 

 on small embankments on the damp soil near the water's edge, and surrounded with a ring of 

 debris left by the receding water. When the old bird is disturbed from the eggs, it either ilies 

 around uttering its plaintive and somewhat mournful note, or else alights on the ground, or in 

 shallow water a short distance away, all the time uttering its mournful note, and occasionally 

 partially opening and closing the wings with a (juick jerky action, and drawing its neck back 

 walks in a stooping attitude and altogether presents a most woe-begone appearance. 



W^riting from Yandembah Station in 1889 Mr. Bennett remarked : — " On the 15th September 

 I found two nests of Iliiiiiiiilopiis Iriicoii-plialus, each containing four eggs. The nests consisted of 

 a few short pieces of twigs placed upon the clumps of Polygoiiaiii or other bushes, an inch or two 

 above the water." 



From Broken Hill, South-western New South Wales, Dr. \V. Macgillivray wrote as 

 follows: — " liiiiuuilopiis Iciifoci'plinliis is common on most lakes or swamps in the district, either 

 in flocks of fifty to a hundred, or in smaller numbers. They find their living wading in water, 

 as far as their long legs will take them; they can swim well, but seldom do so unless crossing 

 from one shallow to an adjoining one makes it necessary, or when through accident or otherwise 

 flight is out of the question. Nesting operations are usually commenced either in spring or 

 autumn, after heavy rain has fallen, and all conditions are left favourable to a plentiful supply of 

 food for the young. I have found their nests built of twigs and grass, in the shape of cones 

 three or four inches in height, with a circular egg-cavity at the top, the whole being well 

 mortared with mud from the bird's feet, including the eggs, which are in this way, and purely 

 by accident, rendered very inconspicuous. At other times the nest consists of a depression in 

 the damp soil, with a few twigs gathered round it. 



" On paying a second visit to Inkermann Lake, on Topar Station, on the loth November, 

 191 2, we found a number of Himantopiis lencocepJmhts nesting on an island on which the Gull- 

 billed Terns were breeding. Most of the nests were shallow depressions in the moist sand, 

 built up with water weeds ; the complete clutch consisted of four eggs. Going on to Silistria 

 Lake we found many White-headed Stilts nesting in the water, not far in from the margin of the 

 lake, the nests being anchored to the submerged remams of Blue Bushes, which had become 

 covered with water weed. Going on to the second Silistria Lake, divided from the first by a 

 sandy spit, we saw the remains of numerous Black Swan nests, remaining from the winter, 

 when the lakes formed one large lake. In this second lalce is the bank of a dam, forming 

 a roughly circular island, with the dam in the centre ; the lake was covered with water weed, 

 making an ideal breeding ground for great numbers of Swan, Maned Geese, Teal, Pink- 



* North, Rec. Austr. Mus., Vol. II., p. 38 (1892). 



