August, 1935. The Queensland Naturalist 89 
season had been; although it had the same irregular 
blackish-brown spots, flecks, and splotches, more at the 
rounded) end than the pointed one. This was perhaps, 
part of Nature’s scheme of camouflage. Last season there 
was less grass visible, the nests themselves, however, are 
so wonderfully camouflaged that one may know the exact 
position of a nest, and yet almos t walk over, without 
visualising it. It is a well-known fact that the Southern 
stone curlew 7 varies the colour of its eggs to suit the sur- 
roundings ; as every egg of the twelve found in my three 
plovers’ nests this year seemed to be more green-tinged 
than those of last year. I think the banded plover shares 
this peculiarity. 
About July 9th, ‘all four eggs w 7 ere laid in nest No. 1 
which was on a sand ridge, about 30 yards from a clump 
of bauhinia trees. Later on, a second nest was discovered. 
600 yards from the first, about 30 yards from a Bottle 
Tree ; and the third nest was 30 yards from a Supple J ack, 
between two billabong backwaters. Nests are seldom close 
to any conspicuous object, such as a tree. Each of these 
nests had the full complement of 4 eggs, when found. I 
visited all three nests both during the day time, and after 
dark, but it was not until I had become doubtful as to 
whether the birds had not deserted their eggs, that one 
plover was surprised by a horseman, on its nest; after 
dark. The next day, July 29th, I heard chicks squeaking 
in the eggs in all three nests, but not one shell was tapped. 
On August 1st, I carried binoculars, and on observing nest 
No. 1 I saw three active, tiny, turkey-like baby plovers, 
running away from it. The wary mother had already de- 
parted. Looking about, I found the little ones, motionless, 
even the little dark stick-like beaks, pressed to the ground. 
Two were light yellowish fawn coloured, with blackish 
brov 7 n spots and flecks; the third one was a little duller 
in shade; all had black half circles above white ones 
round their necks, and light cheeks and underdown. One 
vocal egg w 7 as still in the nest. The parents swooped at 
me, and circled about, vociferating shrilly, until I left for 
nest No. 2, where only one egg w r as chipped. Both birds 
were visible here, evidently much disturbed by my advent. 
One trailed a. wing as if wounded, the other stood flap- 
ping both, as if unable to_ fly, and both did their best to 
draw me on in the direction away from the nest. 
Two young nestlings and two vocal eggs remained in 
nest No. 3, between the billabong backwater gullies. Al- 
though just hatched, the two little ones hugged Mother 
Earth. I had come up very quietly. 
By August 2nd, the parents had taken all four chicks 
to cover from nest No. 1, not even a bit of egg shell re- 
