240 .McGIlJ', llinis of Lake fromc District. \\f, f^T 



in good seasons. Breeds on small islets in swamps and along: bore 

 streams; nest a slijfht depression in sand, usually scantily lined with 

 short pieces of dry herbage and invariably placed under a bush; 

 clutch, 4 eggs. Whereas Red-capped and Black-fronted Dotterels are 

 usually found in pairs, this species is usually in fair-sized companies. 



Lcbibyx nova'-hollandiie. Spur-winged Plover. — A few pairs always 

 along bore streams; nests on small islets in stream, making a slight 

 depression in ground. This is usually lined with short pieces of 

 samphire, saltbush and gj-ass, and a few pieces of dried earth are 

 placed round depression. Eggs, 4 in number, placed with pointed 

 ends to centre of depression. Breeds in August and September. Ap- 

 parently visitors even in good seasons. 



Zonifer tricolor. Black-breasted Plover. — Nomadic, appearing 

 only when grubs or grasshoppers are about. Nests freely, fc^ggs, 

 four in number, placed points in centre in a depression in ground; a 

 slight lining of small twigs and grass in depression usually sur- 

 rounded by several pieces of horse manure. Breeds at any time when 

 conditions favourable. Rescrts to the usual decoying antics to lead 

 one from its nest. Have seen a bullock tread upon the wing of one 

 bird that fluttered about to protect its nest. The wing was broken, 

 but this did not prevent the bird from returning to its four "chipping" 

 eggs. 



Charadrius ruficapilhis. Red-capped Dotterel. — Resident along bore 

 streams and springs; numbers largely increasing in good seasons, 

 when it breeds freely, laying its usual complement of two eggs in 

 a small depression, no lining, on open ground on a small islet. Oc- 

 casionally nests may be found as far away as a mile from water; 

 in these cases the nest is usually formed close to a bush. Young 

 birds leave the nest as soon as hatched, and apparently need no in- 

 structions in the way cf disappearing from one's sight. They are 

 curiously mottled, downy objects, and when crouched down look like 

 a hairy caterpillar curled up; they resort to the well-known ti'icks 

 to lead danger from nest and eggs and the young, but only if suddenly 

 flushed. 



Charadrius melanops. Black-fronted Dotterel. — Found in pairs along 

 bore streams and at springs — in good years, however, their numbers 

 lar'gely increased. Breeds freely, laying two or three eggs in a slight 

 depression in ground, usually close (o edge of water and rarely on 

 islets. The depression is generally lined at bottom with small, short, 

 dry twigs. When available a stone-strewed patch of sand is selected 

 as a nesting site, and the eggs are then hard to locate, especially as 

 the bird keeps a good look out for danger and leaves the nest quietly. 

 If suddenly flushed direct from nest it pretends the broken-winged 

 tricks to perfection. In good seasons this bird nests at almost any 

 time, but in normal years during October to December. 



Peltohvas australis. Australian Dotterel. — The writer has fully 

 dealt with this bird in the "S.A. Ornithologist," vol. v., part 2, 

 April. 1920. The only additional note is that although the writer has 

 not observed this fine bird watering at stock tanks or troughs during 

 the hot summer months, when there was no surface water, his 

 brother (L. K. McGilp) records that upon an evening early in Janu- 

 ary, when camped at a stock tank, he saw hundreds of Dotterels come 

 to water just at dusk. 



Himantopus leucocephalus. White-headed Stilt. — Rare visitors, re- 

 maining only a few weeks, usually in summer months. No record of 

 breeding. 



Recurvirostra nova'-hollandiap. Red-necked .\vocet. — A few always 

 present along bore streams and at mud springs. When lakes are tull, 

 thousands of them come along and commence breeding operations mi- 



