THE BANDED STILT 101 



The Australian Dottrel 



Peltohyas attstralis. 



Australia. 



Above sandy buff, streaked with dark brown centres to the feathers; 

 lower back ashy-brown; tail dark brown, edged with buff; crown of 

 head spotted with blackish and separated from forehead by band of 

 black; a black patch below the eye; a black collar round the hind-neck, 

 descending to the chest; under surface sandy buff; lower abdomen, 

 thighs and under tail-coverts white. Total length 8 inches, oulmen 0.75, 

 wing 5.35, tail 2.3, tarsus 1.35. 



Nest a slight depression in the soil, usually' on raised ground; 

 from three to five eggs are laid, buff in colour, sparingly 

 marked with dark-brown blotches, larger on some eggs than on 

 others. They measure about 1.44 x 1.02 inch. 



These birds inhabit the inland districts. 



Sub-family nimantopodincB. 

 Bill much longer than head, slender, straight. Legs very 

 long and slender. Toes with scarcely any web. No hind toe. 



The White-headed Stilt. 



Himantopus leucocephalus. 



Australia, New Guinea, Moluccas, and Greater Sunda Island. 



Above black; lower back and tail white, the latter tinged with 

 brown on centre feathers; head white; hind neck to the white collar 

 black; under-surface white. Total length 14.5 inches, culmen 2.5, wing 

 9.4, tail 2.3, tarsus 4.5. 



Nest sometimes a slight hollow in the damp ground, but 

 if in a very wet situation, a nest is built of vegetation. Pour 

 eggs are laid, of a greenish stone-colour, with large dark-brown 

 blotches or streaks; they measure about 1.80 x 1.25 inch. 



Genus Cladorhynchus. 

 Like Himantopus, but the toes are webbed. 



The Banded Stilt. 



Cladorhynchus leucocephalus. 

 Australia and Tasmania. 



Above white; wing-coverts and primaries black; outer secondaries 

 white, innermost black; tail white; head and neck white; line of black 



