THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
salt marshes near Point Cloates preparatory to migrating to their breeding- 
quarters. I shot several as they were in almost full breeding-plumage which 
I had never seen previously. All those obtained were very fat and the flocks 
were very shy and wild, which is quite contrary to their usual custom of letting 
one walk or ride within a few yards of them, when the birds remain quite 
motionless, apparently hoping to escape being seen, which they easily can 
be, as the color of their upper parts is protective.” 
Prjevalsky,* writing of the birds of Mongolia says : “ We occasionally met 
with this species in South-east Mongolia, breeding on the salt plains, some- 
times at great distances from water. It is very shy, even if with young ; and 
on perceiving danger it runs a certain distance, and then suddenly stops to 
look back, and again begins to run. When pressed hard it takes to wing, 
flying very fast, but close to the ground, and very rarely for great distances.” 
Swinhoel reports : “In 1863 we discovered a specimen of this bird in 
the East India Museum, from Java, registered by Dr. Horsfield as Cursorius 
isabellinus ” (c/. Ibis 1865, p. 34). 
Sty an J records that it passes through the Lower Yangtze Basin in March 
and April. 
Berney,§ writing of this bird in North Queensland, says : “ A regular 
summer resident in large numbers, beginning to arrive during October and 
November, the earhest that I have 'seen there being 10th of the former month, 
but the big body of them does not show up till December, and they leave again 
at the end of March. Seen generally in the vicinity of water such as bore 
streams and the high open downs. In the course of their flight which is very 
rapid, sharp zig-zag turns are made simrdtaneously by the whole flock with 
a smartness and precision that are wonderful. Should you pass close to them 
when on the ground they stand hke little statues, their heads all turned one 
way ; they are then very hard to see, and it’s the first intimation you get of 
their presence when they go with a rush, perhaps a hundred of them. There 
is no getting a shot if you are not ready, and you watch them regretfully as 
they race away, blaming yourself for missing a chance like that by not having 
a couple of cartridges in your gun. Suddenly ten more get up from the same 
spot, right under your elbow. You load then and carefully quartering the 
ground, flush three more, when using both barrels you stop one of them. It 
is never too late to load with these birds, for you can never feel quite sure 
that they are all gone. They have a strange habit — always a few of them — of 
standing close, very close, after the main mob have flown. When on the 
* Rowley’s Miacell., Vol. II., p. 435, 1877. 
f Proc. Zool. Soc. (Lond.) 1870, p. 141. 
J Ibis 1891, p. 503. 
§ Emu, Vol. II., p. 212, 1903. 
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