Order CHARADRIIF0RME8 
No. 159. 
Family HMMATOPODIDM. 
H.EMATOPUS OSTRALEGUS PICATUS. 
NORTH-WESTERN PIED OYSTERCATCHER. 
H^matopus PICATUS King, Survey Intertrop, Coasts Austr., p, 420, 1826 ; Point Torment, 
North-west Australia. 
Hcemato'pus picaius Kang, Survey Intertrop. Coasts Austr., p. 420, 1826. 
Hwmatopus longirostris Carter, Emu, Vol. III., p. 175, 1904 ; Hill, ih., Vol. X., p. 264, 
1911. 
Hoerrmtopus longirostris picatus Mathews, Nov. Zool,, Vol. XVIII., p. 214, 1912, 
Distribution. North-west Austraha ; Northern Territory. 
Adidt male. Differs from H. 1. longirostris in having white on the base of the primaries ; 
more noticeable on the under-wing. 
Adult female. Differs from the adult male in its larger size and longer bill. 
Nest. “ A few pieces of dry seaweed on the beach, just above high water mark ” (Carter). 
Eggs. “ Clutch, two ” (Carter). 
Breeding-season. “July to September” (Carter). 
Mr. Tom Carter tells me that the native name of this species at Point 
Cloates is Warran-Garree. It is a common resident there and in the North- 
west. It is usually seen in pairs on sandy beaches, but after the breeding- 
season the birds go about in small flocks up to twelve or so. The two eggs 
are laid on a few pieces of dry seaweed on the beach just abbve high- 
water mark. The eggs are found on various dates between July 5th and 
September 17th. As the birds approach and leave the nest by rumiing, their 
numerous footprints are a good guide to one containing eggs. 
Mr. J. P. Rogers when collecting for me at Derby, North-west Austraha, 
reported them wild there, and never seen away from the beach. In March, 
1910, he found them in small flocks but they kept out on a sand-spit or 
mud-flat weU away from any cover. 
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