SPUR-WINGED PLOVER. 
The same writer sends me the following : “A bird living in the open 
fields and short grassy country, where it can see for miles around, and give 
a warning note of the approach of any enemy. I have on many occasions 
been greatly vexed, while stalking duck and other game, by this bird flying 
over and giving the warning notes, as invariably the game is off like a shot 
and becomes very wild. They have a great habit of calling one away from 
their nest by making a great noise when one is near their eggs. And as a 
double surety, they will dart down at the intruder when he is away from the 
nest, which makes him more positive that the eggs are near. After 
much time has been sj)ent in searching about without success, the eggs 
are eventually found far away from that spot. There are generally three 
or four to a clutch. 
“ These birds are nocturnal as well as diurnal, and their call is a familiar 
sound over the swamp, as one sits, waiting for a shot at duck, at some lonely 
pool. They feed on all kinds of insect life, and are especiall}^ useful in the 
farming and grazing districts in keeping down insect pests.” 
Lyons {l.c.) records seeing four of these Plovers at Malkuni, Central 
Australia. 
Frank S. Smith reports it common in Victoria, “ On the open, western 
plains between the Ararat-Geelong and the Geelong-Terang Railways. The 
plains extend for thousands of acres, bare of timber, except where artificial!}^ 
planted, and dotted with lakes, swamps and little water-courses. Flocks 
of a score or more are always in evidence, together with as many Zonifer 
tricolor. I noticed a curious fact, that this latter is more careful of her young 
than the other. I have found the young of Zonifer squatted so closely that 
a stamped foot right beside them failed to move them, and one allowed me 
to pick it up without moving, all the four were scattered around and croVched 
motionless against tufts of grass. On the other hand, I have found the Spur- 
wing crossing a bare road, under the nose of my horse, with a tiny young one 
toddling after her.” 
From Northern Victoria Mr. C. J. Christian says : “Up here on the plains 
one sees it occasionally and then only in pairs, and only in swampy places, 
never on the plain like Zonifer tricolor. It is a quieter bird as a rule than the 
latter and seems to me to delight in standing on one leg in a reedy pool for 
a long time as if meditating. It seems to go about, when it walks, in a much 
quieter way than Zonifer tricolor^ which generally makes a noise when moving 
about and when on the wing. They, however, are not always so quiet. When 
there are eggs or young to protect they wiU drive away a Wedge-tailed Eagle 
{Urodetus audax). Of course, in an attack like this there are generally 5 or 6 
47 
