""JBf^J &*»» t v E.U,0, -.13 



The mound stands out prominently from its surroundings* and in geiirral 

 appearance is most artificial looking. Despite this, however, our conclusions 

 wefr that it is a natural feature and not made by man. 



In the open-cut, where some of the nujutid had been removed for graved 

 we cut a clean vertical fare right across the centre pari, and -fltajj a trench 

 wctl down below t]ic level of lite surrounding ground surface. We thus hai : 

 a clean vertical section to examine, and were able to study ihr internal siruc 

 tore uf fhe niuuud There were no sloping bedding lines to indicate that the 

 nibble, of which the mound consists, had been heaped t*t> from the surrounding 

 surface. The rubble is or a quite even consistency lht 'oufthotit, shewing rather 

 that the ititxtirl \\a» carved out oi a '.ai'ge deposit of nibble by erosion. At il? 

 base there is no dear line of demarcation between the mound and ihe under- 

 lying <tac Tlifi one merger into the ofhei 



Towards the centre of tlic mound there is a mass of darker and more carta e 

 nibble, w»th an irregular, but fairly well defiutd, outline. Running through 

 tins there are veins oi Gl while clay-hke substance, h ii tins thai br»s oe''i 

 taker for the rvtiMins of a burial, or bin ials, mid u Ms beei'. assumed ili.il 

 |tl<7 white sul'sla - trt; is eakinrd bone. Wr found, however, no t ragutec.N of 

 htuiv. and the l#Jiftfl material appears to he entirely mineral in eharacter. The 

 white veil!* continue down into the underh/ieg clay beneath the mound. I'hry 

 have apparently been caused by some process of leaching, by water pe-culaiiny 

 ihnmgh thfi nibble Within the darker nibble there ate some very small fiu^- 

 rnv'Us ol charcoal, hui HQ\y|*c-Tt is iheiv aiw concentration qi mc$e- The\ 

 may w»'ll Uk\C been snnail pieces of wood or root, cat fvmi.vd, nor l>v Pre, bur 

 by uicf.l'.iw proeesr- of time, The mass of darker rubble, bad not been .inserted 

 into the mound an a burial. The nibble above it had never beer. d*stu;bed. 



There ••$. thuy. ltd real evide-Kc of btutals, and every nidranon that \b*i 

 mound Is 0*' natural origin. 



As our rinding* were a'.) negative, we did not publish any details of them 

 at rbe time, as perhaps we should have done, but our photographs, pl.-.iu -jud 

 drawings were deposited in the nl«5 of the National M'ueuin where they uuv 

 be uiipwred by aitynnf imenrc&d in them. 



Yocr.s : nih- 

 il A. Caspv 



NATURALISTS' NOTEBOOK 



(Reserved for yo«r Notes. Observations end Queries * 



NOTES ON TNI SPUR -WINGED PLOVER 



The IttuMts of this plover (/ ohih>;v ttot't.r-iioUnndttr) ate laiily well known 

 and these nottfs are not preset r.ed as representing an/thing new iVy inland 

 only io record yjtuc personal* observations of the last Jew years ?A Clarence 

 Point ill Tasmania. 



The bold and feiule^ strategy of the Spur-wjnged Dover in defence of 

 tre ilfc*i and young I:- common knowledge, and the birds one has watched 3.1'C 

 no ex.eptmrs. Recan^e these birds nr*t on the ground life may be rather 

 hazardous. Bu! despite the menace of wandering stoik. farm implement 

 and so on, the birds appear to retin'n almost to the identical spot each >ear. 

 The nest, in a tiny depression, contains two. sometimes tluee egys. winch 

 blend so well with the surrouudiuKS ai to be very difficult t*> see. The WSJ 

 h e<cupied at night, but in the daytime the sun -appear? to provide the 

 lieceiS-Tv warmth. Oit 3 -wonders, *t times, how many *&"* survh'e the rohl 

 oi sunless days early in the season, 



Any creature approaching is enticed away by the Iwo birds running' ihntir 

 Bftd calling loudly to attract attention away from the nest, If tlu\ (ml?. 1 ; icy 

 will take to the w'u# and swooj) On the soioetimes uustuiijectiuR vi?if<jr 



