SOUTHERN STONE PLOVER. 153 



CHAPTER CXL. 



Southern Stone Plover. 

 {Burhinus grallarius, Latham.) 



The Southern Stone Plover is a very valuable bird, 

 commonly, though erroneously, called the " Curlew," 

 which is, however, a totally different bird. The 

 Curlew has a long, incurved bill, whereas the bill of the 

 Stone Plover, as our plate shows, is quite straight, and 

 much thicker in proportion to the size of the bird. 



The natural home of this bird would appear to be in 

 fairly level dry country, but I have also met with them 

 in dry ranges, and, as Mr. Campbell says, " Whether in 

 the forests of Queensland, or in the vast woods of Gipps- 

 land, or the drier tracts of the interior provinces of Western 

 Australia, every dweller of the bush is familiar with the 

 weird melancholy calls of the bird at night." 



The Stone Plover is remarkable, if only for the prominent 

 eyes and somewhat awkward gait when seen skulking 

 behind some tussocks, evidently trying to divert the 

 attention of the passer-by from its nest ; a peculiarity 

 not by any means confined to the bird under notice. The 

 eggs, usually two, are deposited on the bare ground, and 

 are pale-stone or light-buff, blotched all over, sometimes 

 with markings of umber and dull-slate. 



According to Mr. Campbell and others, the breeding 

 months include August to December, but I have seen 

 them early in January. Mr. A. J. North says the bird 

 often resorts to the same spot to breed year after year, 

 even though its eggs are repeatedly taken. Mr. Campbell 

 mentions having picked up near Lake Tragowel, Victoria, 

 a pair of eggs just chipped, and by night the young birds 



