EGGS OF CHARADRIID^. 433 



latter instance they were not covered, bat were simply deposited on 

 the loose earth on high dry ground. It would apjjear therefore 

 that the Australian dottrel Uiys in September and October in 

 spring or during April and May in autumn, probably according to 

 the rain, for instance, after the manner of the black-breasted 

 plover fSarciophoriis pect ralisj. 



^GIALITIS BICINCTA. 

 Double-banded Dottrel, 



Figure ~Gou\di: Birds of Australia, fol., vol. vi., pi. 16. 



Ramsai/'s Tab. List — JE(/iali(is bicincia, Jard. k Selb. 



Prfvious Descnption/i of Eggs — Potts : Trans. New Zealand 

 Inst , vol. II., p. 67 (187(1) ; Butler : Birds of New Zealand (1873), 

 also vol. ir., p. 4 (1888); Campbell: Southern Science Record 

 (1883). 



Geographical Distribution — Australia in general, Tasmania, and 

 New Guinea. 



Nest — Merely the usual little hollow on plains in the vicinity of 

 the coast or in dry river beds. 



Eggs — Clutch, 3 ; soft in appearance, with thin shell ; ground 

 color of a greenish tinge or light gi'eenish-stone (but sometimes 

 greyish-stone), spotted and fancifully streaked fairly over with 

 sepia or black. In some specimens the markings form patches 

 about the obtuse end. Dimensions — (1) 3"56 x 2-5 cm. ; (2) 

 3"48 X 2'56 cm. The eggs are very similar to those of the hooded 

 dottrel f^-E. monacha) in shape, size, and character of markings, 

 Avith the exception of having the greenish tinged ground color 

 instead of ihe pale stone. 



Observations — Eggs of the double-banded dottrel have not yet 

 been recorded from Australia or Tasmania. The bird disappears 

 from the mainland in spring and, according to ihe opinion of 

 Colonel Legge, probably breeds on some of the islands in Bass 

 Straits, as the young birds found in Tasmania during the autumn 

 most likely come from that locality. In reference to the migra- 

 tion observed by Gould at Georgetown on the loth May, Colonel 

 Legge proceeds to remark that is about the time the birds would 

 be arriving on a southern migration from their breeding grounds. 

 May the birds not have come from breeding grounds in New 

 Zealand on partial migration to Tasmania and Australia ? 



The late Mr. T. H. Potts, F.L.S., from whom I received my 

 specimens, when first describing the eggs of this very interesting 

 species before the Wellington Philosophical Society in 1869, 

 remarked that " Our banded dottrel is worthy of belonging to the 

 family of the Charadriidce, for it is one of the most restless and 

 wariest of birds during the breeding season. On the approach of 

 an intruder it flies round and round, uttering its note of warning; 

 e2 



