120 BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 



Breeding Season. — August to December. 



Geographical Distribution. — Tasmania (accidental) and Aus- 

 tralia in general. 



Observations. — ^The first record we ha-ze of this species in Tas- 

 mania is contained in the proceedings of the Koyal Society, 1894-5 

 report. We there find that a bird was obtained at Spring Bay, 

 April, 1895, and another at Swansea in the following July. 



In The Emu (vol. vii., p. 36) Mr. T. Hurst, Caulfield (Vic), 

 reports having seen a flock of fully 30 " feeding contentedly in a 

 stubble paddock " some twelve miles down the west bank of the 

 River Tamar. This was Easter, 1907. I have grave doubts as 

 to the birds seen being correctly identified. Personally I have 

 never met with this species in Tasmania, nor can I ascertain 

 any undoubted record of it being seen by anyone else since the birds 

 of 1895 were shot. 



The Stone-Plover favours grassy plains and uplands with out- 

 crops of broken stones, where it can hide with ease when danger 

 threatens. Like all Plovers, it resorts to strange devices in its 

 endeavours to lure an intruder from the vicinity of its eggs or 

 young. Its flight, though rapid, has an appearance of being 

 laboured. It does not remain in the air for long, but soon drops 

 to the ground. In disposition it is very shy; very rarely does it 

 allow one to approach to within anything like close quarters. When 

 on the ground it runs with great rapidity, and should real or 

 imaginary danger threaten, rather than fly it will squat down 

 among the stones and remain practically invisible. The colour 

 of the young bird matches more closely the stones of their haunts 

 than does that of the parent bird. They (the young birds) will 

 remain crouched among the stones until almost trodden on. Stone- 

 Plover usually move about their feeding and breeding grounds in 

 pairs or small bands of four or six birds. Sometimes, however, 

 at certain seasons of the year, they congregate in larger flocks. 

 I believe that it is at night time that this bird. moves from one 

 district to another or wings its way to more southerly regions. 

 At the approach of evening the air resounds with its loud, harsh 

 cries. Its food consists of insects and seeds found on the ground 

 among the stones of its haunts. 



FAMILY-CHARADRIID/E (24 species). 



Sub- Family— Arenariinae. 



TUENSTONE 



{Arenaria hiterpres, Linn.) 



Male [breeding plumage). — General colour of upper surface 



black mixed with chestnut; lower back and rump white; upper 



tail coverts black; tail feathers black, with white bases, all but 



