50 McGILP — Eudromait auitraUs (Australian Dottrel). 



they rely for safety on their remarkable protective coloration, 

 which so closely resembles the surroundings, that unless the 

 bird has its breast towards one. which is very seldom, they are 

 hard to discern. 



They rarely seek shelter from the sun's fierce glare, seem 

 ing to enjoy the terrific heat of the "interior" summer. One 

 does, now and again, see them standing or squatting in the 

 shade of a fencing post, but it is seldom that one is disturbed 

 from the shelter of a bush or tree. I have not observed the 

 Dottrel in any timbered country ; the open, sandy plains and 

 stoney-topped tablelands, devoid of timber, is its true habitat. 

 It runs with great speed, and flies very swiftly ; I have on 

 numerous occasions found dead birds along the sheep fences, 

 having been killed by striking the wires when in swift flight. 



The Australian Dottrel is one of the earliest birds to 

 commence breeding after the rain breaks up a drought, and in 

 a good season usually brings out a second brood. It rarely 

 lays at all in a bad season, even should it remain droughty for 

 an extended period. I have observed this species breeding in 

 every month of the year except December and January. These 

 two months are usually very dry. and I have not the slightest 

 doubt but they would breed then if the season was favourable, 

 for, like most of the inland species, their breeding season is 

 solely regulated by the season. 



When breeding operations start, the birds scratch out a 

 small depression in the ground, or resort to a deep horse or 

 cattle track (made when the ground is soft, after rain). The 

 earth that is scraped out is formed into a small ring round the 

 depression, and a few small stones or short, dry twigs are 

 usually placed on this ring. I have found the depression in 

 this condition four days before any eggs were laid. The eggs 

 are laid on consecutive days, and usually in the early morning, 

 The clut<*h. almost without exception, is three eggs. I have 

 only found one clutch of two eggs out of dozens that I have 

 noted. One one occasion, when driving horses in from our 

 home horse paddock, one of the horses smashed a perfectly fresh 

 egg out of the three that were in the nest. Ten days later, I 

 noticed there were three eggs in the nest, so took the clutch ; one 

 egg was only slightly incubated, whereas the others were in an 

 advanced state of incubation. 



I once found that the Australian Dottrel had made a very 

 artistic nest, using the curledup pieces of silt from a clay-pan. 



