^°'il?"] THOMSOX, The Taxi'uy Frof/nioutli 309 



they practically disappeared in the long, downy fluff. I was 

 not able to get a photograph of him really asleep, for he would 

 wake up just as I endeavoured to get to the camera to e\]K)se a 

 plate. The first i)icture shows him just dozing, and as nearly 

 asleep as he could be induced to go while I remained near. 



Immediately on being approached he would wake up, open his 

 mouth wide, and stretch his neck to its full e.xtent, ruffling his 

 feathers and going through the most alarming contortions 

 imaginable — well calculated to inspire an enemy with fear. The 

 series of four pictures illustrates stages in his weird antics. 

 Finally he would crouch low on his perch, his whole body low- 

 ered, wings drooping, as if about to spring, his great eyes ablaze 

 with a blue light, and almost starting out of his head. 



Xo doubt these fearsome antics are the means of protecting 

 the harmless young Podargus from many enemies. Though 

 he opened his beak widely, it was iirobably either as a demand for 

 food, or more probably for intimidation. Certainly he could not 

 have done much damage with it. 



He apparently disliked being ])icked up, and exjiressed his 

 resentment with a squeaking, wailing cry — the only note he 

 uttered. 



After studying the protective attitudes of the adult, it was 

 very interesting to note the development in the young bird. 

 Thovigh harmonising with his surroundings in the bush, and de- 

 pending for protection principally upon this, the young bird, 

 being unable to take to flight if discovered, evidently depended 

 on "bluffing" his enemies by the most amazing evolutions and 

 contortions that I have ever seen performed by a bird. It was 

 one of the most charming features in my experience of wild 

 nature, and the faith of the tiny creature in the success of his 

 antics accompanied by that blue glint of his eye, which I sus- 

 pected was more of fear than of defiance, was not untouched 

 Avith pathos. 



Interesting Conduct of the Southern 

 Stone-Plover (Burhinus magnirostris) 



Communicated by Dr. W. MACGILLR'RAY, C.F.A.O.U., 

 v'^ometime President R.A.O.U., Broken Hill. 



A station owner and his wife living in Central New South 

 Wales had tamed a Stone Plover, or Bush Curlew (Burhinus 

 magnirostris) which, given the name of "Fraser," proved to be an 

 extremely intelligent bird, and appeared to be strangely sensitive 

 to certain things and i)eople. One man who used to visit the 

 station had evidently attracted Fraser's attention to a pair of 



