A. J. 
Data Campbell's No. of 
Eggs. 
No. 
655 
656 
No. in 
Book. 
THE JACKSONIAN OOLOGICAL COLLECTION. 
was correct, for both this and the following set answer his latter description. Unfortunately his book 
was in the press before these and the Norwegian eggs came to hand, and, of course, they arrived too 
late for their descriptions to appear in it. The four eggs measure as follows, in inches :—Specimen A. 
= 2°62 x 1°93. Specimen B. = 2°69 x 1'93. Specimen C. = 2°75 x 1°93. Specimen D. = 
2°67 x 1°95. The eggs are very pyriform, or pear-shaped, and specimens A. and B. are more so than 
C. and D., resembling a schoolboy’s peg-top in form, one end being very pointed, and the other broad 
and rounded, though somewhat flat. It is evident they are of this shape in order to keep them from 
rolling away, in the event of being touched or blown by a strong wind. One end of the egg being so 
very much thicker than the other, causes it to rotate in a complete circle when it does move, and it 
cannot possibly roll away any great distance from its nest or original position. ‘They are very pro- 
tectively coloured, as is the case with all those of this family, and it takes a very experienced eye to find 
the nests of some of them. In instances such as the Black-breasted Plover, etc., where the female is 
rather conspicuous in colouring, she walks away and leaves her eggs at the slightest approach of danger, 
being warned by the male bird, who is always on the watch. They know well, however, that the eggs 
closely harmonize with the surroundings, thus making them difficult to detect, and they are far safer 
without the bird. Ground-building birds such as Quail, etc., which have secretively coloured plumage, 
are very close sitters, and will remain on the nest until they are almost trodden on, being often cut to 
pieces by mowing machines, so reluctant are they to move. The young of this class are likewise pro- 
tectively coloured, and are admirably adapted for hiding, whether their habitat is on a grass or gravel- 
covered flat, on a hill top, or on the sea shore. My experience with all the plover tribe, is that the 
bird leaves its nest long before it is seen, and they usually run some distance before rising into the air, 
thus leaving little clue behind as to the location of the nest. This bird under notice is the Curlew 
proper, the Bush Curlew being really the Stone Plover. I found it very common on the islands in, 
and shores around, Moreton Bay, Queensland, where at low tide it frequents the mud flats at the 
entrances to the Pine River, Mosquito and Cabbage Tree Creeks ; also, the extensive stretches of sand 
opposite Sandgate, where, with its long curved bill, it hooks crabs, various marine worms, etc., from 
their hiding places. I have noticed the birds in many other localities, while, even at Botany Bay and 
Port Hacking, near Sydney, they may often be seen feeding on the seashore at low tide, during the 
warmer months. Their note is a weird cry resembling “ cur-lee u, cur-lee-u, cur-lee-u,” and is not 
unlike that uttered by the Stone Plover or Bush Curlew of the forests. 
SEA CURLEW, 
Numenius cyanopus, Vieillot. 
(Norwegian set.) 
Splendid set of 4 eggs, found on an open moorland in Northern Norway, on the 26th of April, 
1900. The incubation was only about fifty hours old when the set was taken. The bird was shot, so 
its identity is sure. This set of Sea Curlew’s eggs is identical with the latter clutch (No. 654), with the 
exception that the ground colouring in these Norwegian specimens is rather a darker olive-green. It 
is interesting to have this set from Norway, in order to compare it with the Australian types. This 
clutch gives the following dimensions in inches:—Specimen A. = 2°56 x 1°86. Specimen B. = 
2°56 x 1°86. Specimen C. = 2:56 x 1°84. Specimen D. = 2°50 x 1°86. It will be seen from the 
latter measurements that these eggs are a little smaller than those of the Australian bird. 
TIPPET GREBE, 
Podicipes cristatus, Linnzus. 
Set of 3 eggs, taken by F. Ricketson at Baratta, Riverina, N.S.W., on 17th November, 1898. 
Specimen A. measures = 1°87 x 1°40. The eggs of this set are very dirty and nest stained, and look 
as if they had been rolled about in a duck-yard for a week, yet it is only quite correct to leave them in 
their natural state, just as they were found. They are a dull white when first laid, but soon become 
soiled and nest stained. Like the Black-throated Grebe these birds cover their eggs with weeds each 
time they leave the nest, and this in a great measure helps to stain and darken them, for being lime- 
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