BIRDS OF TASMANIA 129 



It only visits us in small flocks and in company with other species. 

 Gould obtained specimens along the banks of the Derwent and 

 vicinity ; he also shot it on one of the islands in Bass Strait. I 

 have received specimens from Low Head, where small flocks were 

 feeding in company with other birds along the sea-beach. It is 

 also to be found about the Great Lake district. According to Mr. 

 A. J. Campbell, this species arrives in the Australian "region " 

 towards the end of October. What time it arrives at Low Head 

 I am unable to definitely ascertain. I have seen it on the opposite 

 side of the river in December. The middle to the latter end of 

 May is the latest it has been seen at Low Head. Very often this 

 bird is known under the name of the Asiatic Golden Plover. 



*DOUBLE-BANDED DOTTREL 

 {Ochthodromus {Mgialitis) hicinctus, Jard. and Selby). 



Male (breeding plumage). — A broad stripe of white across the 

 forehead, above which a band of black; rest of head and whole of 

 upper surface pale brown ; primaries blackish-brown ; throat white, 

 surrounded by a narrow line of black, which commences above the 

 upper mandible and continues down the sides of the neck and 

 across the chest in a broad band ; across and down the centre of 

 the abdomen a broad band of bright chestnut ; rest of under sur- 

 face white; tw^o central tail feathers greyish-brown, next paler, 

 outside ones white; bill yellowish, tipped with black. "Dimen- 

 sions: — Length, 6J in.; bill, |; wing, 4f ; tail, '2|; tarsus, Is" 

 (Gould). 



Female (breeding plumage). — Similar to male. 



Male and Female (winter plumage). — The chestnut band be- 

 comes considerably reduced, but does not altogether disappear. 



Young. — " Upper parts diffused with rust-red, each feather 

 having a narrow margin of that colour; forehead, throat, and 

 under parts white, with a slight tinge of rufous; a broad aone 

 of dark mottled grey encircles the fore-neck, but there is no indica- 

 tion of the pectoral band of chestnut " (W. Buller). 



Young "in down resemble little brownish puffs, being of a 

 bright sandy -yellow, mottled with dark brown on the upper sur- 

 face, changing to yellowish-white on the under parts " (A. J. 

 Campbell). 



Nest. — None formed, eggs being laid in a slight hollow. 



Eggs. — "Clutch three; inclined to pyriform in shape; texture 

 of shell fine and thin ; surface without gloss ; colour of a greenish 

 tinge, or light green stone (but sometimes greyish-stone), spotted 

 and fancifully streaked fairly over with sepia or black. In some 

 specimens the markings form patches about the obtuse end. 

 Dimensions in inches:— 1.4 x .98, (2) 1.37 x 1.0" (A. J. 

 Campbell). 



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