BIRDS OF THE LAKES, STREAMS, AND SWAMPS 
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like the bark of a dog, it has a peculiar squeaky trumpet-like whistle 
generally uttered during flight. Food : aquatic animals and plants. 
Nest. — A, depression in the ground, usually among herbage close to 
the water's edge. Some nests have a few twigs, pebbles, or pieces of 
hardened mud placed round the edge to keep the eggs in position. 
Eggs. — Four, light yellowish-stone to creamy-brown, over which are 
distributed spots, freckles, and blotches of black, and underlying markings 
of inky-grey. Breeding-season : August to December. 
23. Masked Plover Lobibyx miles Boddaert 
Lob-f -by x — Gk, lob os, lobe ; Gk, ibyx, a variant of ibis, a bird : mi'-les — 
L,, miles , soldier. 
Distribution. — Northern Australia, from Broome (Western Austra- 
lia) to Brisbane (Queensland) ; also occurs in the Molucca Islands, Timor, 
Aru Islands, and New Guinea. 
Notes. — Usually in pairs or flocks, frequenting the margins of 
swamps, lagoons, and streams. It is nomadic, although odd pairs will 
remain in a district throughout the year. The call-note of this species 
resembles “Keerk, keerk, keerk,” usually uttered when alarmed or when 
in flight. Food : insects, small crustaceans, and herbage. 
Nest. — A depression in the ground. 
Eggs. — Four, greenish-olive or yellowish-stone, covered with freckles, 
spots, and irregular-shaped markings of olive-brown and blackish -brown 
and underlying spots of dull slate. Breeding-season: January to April. 
24. Spur-winged Plover Lobibyx novce-hollandice Stephens 
novcc-hollandice — of New Holland. 
Distribution. — South-eastern Australia (from Cooper's Creek, 
central Australia, to the Fitzroy River, central Queensland), and Tas- 
mania; accidental to New Zealand. 
Notes. — Also called Wattled Plover and Alarm-bird. Usually in pairs 
or flocks, frequenting the margins of swamps, lagoons, and streams. It is 
very shy and wary, and when disturbed utters a shrill alarm note, warning 
its companions as well as other birds in the neighbourhood. The call-note, 
“Kurra-Carrak,” is generally voiced while the bird is in flight, and is 
mostly heard at dusk or at daybreak. Food: insects, small crustaceans, 
and herbage. 
Nest. — A slight depression in the ground. 
Eggs. — Four, light yellowish-olive or brownish-olive, spotted, freckled, 
and blotched with brownish-black markings and underlying spots of dull 
grey. Breeding-season : July to January. 
25. Banded Plover Zonifer tricolor Vieillot 
Zon'-i-fer — L., zona, band ; L., fero, I bear : tri-col-or — L., tricolor, three- 
coloured. 
Distribution. — Australia (except the northern portion) and Tasmania. 
