EGGS OF CHARADRIID^. 427 



half of November, 1887, we enjoyed ample opportunities of 

 observing these interesting shore dwellers, Avhich were breeding at 

 intervals all around the island. The white-breasted or pied oyster- 

 catcher was the commoner of the two species of " red-bills." Some- 

 times a pair of birds betrayed their nest by uttering the loud piping 

 double note of alarm, which became more frequent and solicitous in 

 tone as we approached the locality of their home. At other times 

 we would observe a bird running away in a suspicious manner from 

 a particular spot. Picking up in the loose sand its footprints and 

 following the track back invariably led us to the nest, which was 

 merely a slight circular hollow or depression on the summit of a 

 small sand dune immediately above high- water mark. 'I'he eggs 

 were difficult to detect on account of tliR similarity of the coloration 

 of the eggs with the sand round about. Of ten or twelve nests we 

 took, none contained more than a pair of eggs; therefore instances 

 of three eggs in a nest must be rave. A family of fishermen, who 

 were reared at Port Albert and had much experience in shore life,, 

 remember in only one instance seeing three eggs in a clutch. 

 From Gould and Sir Walter Buller we infer three is the usual 

 complement. However, Mr. A. J. North describes a set of three 

 taken by Mr. John Ramsay at Cape Upstart, Queensland. 



Mr. Seebohm states that oyster-catchers are not known to breed 

 within the tropics on the mainland, but only on islands. But it 

 appears we have an exception in the white-breasted oyster-catcher, 

 for I have received eggs from King Sound (North-West Australia), 

 nearlv 600 miles within the tropics, and near the North-West Cape 

 Mr. Tom Carter, a sound field naturalist, took on the 20tli of July 

 several clutches, and again on the 17th of September a single egg 

 from the same locality. 



Except one fully fledged we did not observe on King Island the 

 young which Gould states are capable of running soon, and in case 

 of danger secrete themselves in a crevice of rocks or behind a stone. 

 However, the young in down are greyish-buff, with bhick spots on 

 the back, and with a dark longitudinal stripe on each side above 

 the wing. 



The breeding months are from July to January, the early 

 months applying to the tropical or sub- tropical coast localities. 



Sir Walter Buller records the interesting fact that this oyster- 

 catcher does not always breed contiguous to the sea shore, as 

 instances are known of its nesting on sandy plains a couple of 

 miles or more inland. 



H^MATOPUS UXICOLOR. 

 Sooty Oysteu-catcher. 

 Figure — Gould : Birds of Australia, foL, vol. vi., pi. 8. 

 Ramsay^ s Tab. List — Hcsmatopus Ami color, Wagl. 

 Previous Descriptions of Eygs — Gould : Birds of Australia 

 (1848), also Hdbk., vol. ii., p. 218 (1865). Buller : Birds of New 



