46 



AN AUSTRALIAN BIRD BOOK. 



94 Oriental Whimbrel (Australian), Jack-Curlew, May- 

 fowl, N. varlegatus, E. Sib., Japan to A., T. =vt. Eur. 

 Whimbrel. Mig. r. river, swamp 15 



Brown mottled; chin, abdomen white; tail barred brown, 

 white; arched bill 3in.; f., sim. Crabs, shellfish, 

 worms. 

 1 95 Little Whimbrel, Mesoscolopax minutus, E. Sib., Mon- 

 1 golia, Japan to A. Mig. v.r. swamps 12 



far-wandering birds recorded from Australia is likely to be 

 still further increased. The stout, short-legged Turnstone is the 

 most cosmopolitan of birds. Breeding in Siberia, so widely does 

 it roam, that it has visited almost every shore in the world, where, 

 true to name, it turns the stones in search of sandhoppers. 



The two "Oyster-catchers" — "Redbills" — are representatives of 

 similar birds found almost the world over. Their deepened, flat 

 bill is said to serve as a pick-axe to force open oysters and mus- 

 sels. We found one or two pairs on almost every shore we visited 

 about Bass Strait, on Eyre Peninsula, and on the Barrier Reef. 



The two common Plovers — the Spurwing and Black-breasted — 

 do not migrate, so we see them in brighter colors. Still, though 

 bright when noticed, they are yet wonderfully protected, as they 

 stand quite still. I felt great astonishment on finding that I 

 had driven, near Lake Tyrrell, into the midst of a company of 

 over a thousand Black-breasted Plovers, not noticed until the eye 

 picked out one and then another. It recalled to mind the scene 



