46 
AN AUSTRALIAN BIRD BOOK. 
94 Oriental Whimbrel (Australian), Jack-Curlew, May- 
fowl, N. variegatus, E. Sib., Japan to A., T. =vt. Eur. 
Whimbrel. Mig. r. river, swamp 15 
Brown mottled; chin, abdomen white; tail barred brown, 
white; arched bill 3in. ; f., sim. Crabs, shellfish, 
worms. 
1 95 Little Whimbrel, Mesoscolopax minutus, E. Sib., Mon- 
1 golia, Japan to A. Mig. v.r. swamps 12 
far-wandering birds recorded from Australia is likely to be 
still further increased. The stout, short-legged Turnstone is the 
most cosmopolitan of birds. Breeding in Siberia, so widely does 
it roam, that it has visited almost every shore in the world,> where, 
true to name, it turns the stones in search of sandhoppers. 
The two "Oyster-catchers" — "Redbills" — are representatives of 
similar birds found almost the world over. Their deepened, flat 
bill is said to serve as a pick-axe to force open oysters and mus- 
sels. We found one or two pairs on almost every shore we visited 
about Bass Strait, on Eyre Peninsula, and on the Barrier Reef. 
The two common Plovers — the Spurwing and Black-breasted — 
do not migrate, so we see them in brighter colors. Still, though 
bright when noticed, they are yet wonderfully protected, as they 
stand quite still. I felt great astonishment on finding that I 
had driven, near Lake Tyrrell, into the midst of a company of 
over a thousand Black-breasted Plovers, not noticed until the eye 
picked out one and then another. It recalled to mind the scene 
