428 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION D. 



Zealand (1873), also vol. ii., p. 19 (1888). Legge : Proc. Roy. 

 Soc, Tasmania, p. 130 (1887). North: Cat. Nests and Eggs, 

 Australian Birds (with fig.), p. 300 (1889). 



Geoyraphical Distribution — Coast of whole of Australia and 

 Tasmania. 



Nest — Usually a rocky ledge or hollow not far distant from high- 

 water mark . 



Eggs — Clutch, 2 ; oval in shape ; texture of shell, firm ; ground 

 color, stony-grey, moderately marked with irregular-shaped blotches 

 (large and small) of umber or dark-brown, also a few dull greyish 

 splashes and marks appear beneath the shell's surface. Dimen- 

 sions in centimetres of clutches, namely : — 



Clutch A 6-87 X 4-4 (the sharper pointed egg) 



6-55 X 4-36 



" B 6 73 X 4-37 



6-36 X 4-35 



" C 6-91 X 4-42 



6-73 X 4-36 



The eggs are similar to the pied oyster-catcher's, hut are larger in 

 size, darker in the ground color, and the character of the markings 

 as a rule are not so uniformly roundish in shape. 



Observations — We also found the sooty or black oyster-catcher 

 on King Island, Bass Straits, but, although not so numerous, it was 

 equally interesting as the white-breasted species with which the 

 sooty at times co-mingled. Indeed hybrids, the progeny of the 

 two birds, have been known. This may be the case with 

 H. Gpthalmicus (Castelnau and Ramsay), from the Gulf of Carpen- 

 taria, which, however, Mr. Seebohm has relegated to the synonyme 

 of the black species. Of the several nests found during the Field 

 Naturalists' expedition in November, 1887, to the above-mentioned 

 island, the eggs, which were all in a more or less advanced state of 

 incubation, were somewhat darker in color and a size larger than 

 those of the other species. The sooty variety seemed to select a 

 more rocky situation for its nesting place. The eggs I retained 

 for my collection I took from a ridge of rocks almost surrovmded 

 by water at high tide. The nest contained a few broken shells, 

 bits of stone, and small pieces of seaweed. The eggs recall a 

 historical shipwreck, for within sight of where they were taken 

 was the scene of the deplorable loss of the Cataragui, which 

 occurred on the west coast of King Island in 1845, Avhen no less 

 than 399 souls perished. Breeding months probably the same as 

 the white breasted oyster- catcher, from July to January, but, 

 possibly not so early in the southern districts. Young in down 

 like the parents, are of a uniform blackish-brown. 



All the plover family, almost without exception, resort to tactics 

 such as feigning lameness or a broken wing to entice intruders 



