^igj"'] CAMPBELL, Another Decade in Australian Oology. 1 69 



alis), and the Rock-Pigeon (Pctrophassa albipennis) are very 

 desirable. 



The foregoing are more particularly " home " or purely Aus- 

 tralian birds, but it is to the ends of the earth we are to look for 

 the most difficult to obtain — to the tundras of the high north 

 for the migratory waders, and the islands of the far south for 

 Petrels. There are about half a score of our migrants, chiefly 

 Limicoline birds (a tribe especially dear to our retiring president, 

 Col. Legge), whose breeding haunts — many about the Arctic 

 Circle in Siberia, have yet to be invaded. Let me specify them : — 

 Oriental Dottrel (Ochthodromus veredus), Mongolian Sand- 

 Dottrel (0. mongolus), Curlew (Numenius cyanopus), Whim- 

 brel (N . varicgatus), Little Whimbrel (Mesoscopolax minutus 

 Grey-rumped Sandpiper (Heeler actitis brevipes), Little Stint 

 (Limonites ruficoliis), Sharp-tailed Stint {Hetcropygia acuminata) 

 Curlew-Stint (Ancylockilus subarquatus), and the Great Sandpiper 

 (Tringa crassirostris). [It is just possible that our energetic 

 member, Mr. Robt. Hall, who, with commendable enterprise, has 

 visited Eastern Siberia, is returning with information of some 

 of these interesting wanderers.] 



To the south we shall have to look for the island homes of the 

 Black-bellied (Cymodroma mclanogaster) and the White-bellied 

 (C. grallaria) Storm-Petrels, likewise for the Silver-grey Petrel 

 (Priocclla glacialoides), while to more temperate seas for the 

 Brown-headed Petrel (CEstrelata solandri) and the White-winged 

 Petrel (CE. leucoptera). 



Probably some of the Antarctic expeditions now out will fall 

 in with the eggs of the first-mentioned sea-birds. 



Before I proceed to the next part of my paper perhaps I should 

 have mentioned the Spine-tailed Swift (Ch&tura eaudacuta). 

 These familiar Australian birds are known to breed in Japan, 

 and I believe eggs have been offered for sale in England, but I 

 can find no description of authenticated specimens. As I have 

 stated in my work (" Nests and Eggs," p. 532) I am credibly 

 informed that these Swifts breed under the Kegon Waterfall, 

 near Nikko, Japan. The rock under the fall consists of alternate 

 hard and soft layers, making a series of shelves. The Swifts 

 nest in the recesses between the shelves, the outer edges of which 

 are so friable that they will not bear the weight of a man, therefore 

 the situation has been deemed practically inaccessible. Neverthe- 

 less some of our Australian visitors to Japan might easily interest 

 the inhabitants there to procure examples of eggs. 



If oology is of any scientific importance surely it is an aid to 

 the proper classification of birds. " By their fruits ye shall 

 know them " is an ancient truism. 



Glancing over a collection of Australian eggs, it is wonderful 

 to note how correct has been the classification of the birds by 

 systematists. Nevertheless there appear a few exceptions or 

 anomalies which I may be permitted to point out, and which 

 might be taken into consideration when any future systematic 



