THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
banks of inland pools or creeks of fresh and brackish water. I never took eggs 
at Point Cloates, but a tame cat once brought a female to the shearing shed that 
was evidently breeding on a neighbouring salt marsh. Every year a pair visits 
a stock tank near my home at Broome Hill, usually appearing about the middle 
of October, and leaving in January of the following year. On November 
28th, 1909, a nest was taken containing four eggs, which were laid in a depres- 
sion of ironstone gravel on the top of a ridge, 300 yards from the water. They 
were taken as they were in the regular path for sheep to be driven. The bird 
laid again somewhere near, and had half grown young at the tank on January 
13th, 1910.” 
“ At all creeks or pools passed between MuUawa and the Fitzroy River 
[North-west Australia], this active little Dotterel was found either singly or in 
pairs, running along the margin of the water in search of small aquatic insects. 
During August several young birds, just able to fly, were shot at the camel depot, 
and one fresh egg was picked up beside a pool. On 7th November I found 
several pairs of newly-hatched young ones on the sandy bed of the Fitzroy 
River. Although probably not more than a day or two old, they ran very 
quickly for some distance before being caught. When one was captured it 
invariably proved that the other had escaped during the chase. When newly 
hatched, the Black-fronted Dotterel is probably the most handsome of all 
Australian birds at that age.”* 
The following description by Jerdon is given in full : — 
Gharadrius russatus Jerdon, Madras Journ. Lit. Sci., Vol. XII., p. 213, 1840. 
Catalogue of the Birds of the Peninsula of India, by T. C. Jerdon. 
G. russatus . — ^New Species ? 
Descr. Forehead, streak on either side, extending through the eyes, ears, and 
meeting behind, and a broad pectoral band deep brownish black ; top of the head, back 
and wing coverts of the usual brown cinereous hue of the Ringed Plovers ; band above 
the eyes, encircling the head, except in front, and plumage beneath white ; wing-coverts 
edged wdth white ; quills and medial tail feathers, dark brown. ; external tail feathers 
white, with a brown band which almost disappears on the outermost feather ; scapulars 
deep maroon colour ; upper tail coverts tinged with rufous ; bill yellow with black tip ; 
orbits bright yellow ; legs orange yellow. 
Length inches ; wing 4| ; tail 23 -%ths ; bill at front nearly j-'ijl'hs ; tarsus rather 
more than 1 inch. 
I procured a single specimen of this apparently new species of Binged Plover at the edge 
of the Pulicat Lake near Madras, in the month of June. Its distinguishing feature is 
the maroon colour of the scapulars. Whether this is a permanent mark, or, as I conjecture 
may be the case, only assumed during the breeding season, I am at present unable to 
determine. 
There can be no donbt that the preceding description was drawn up from a 
specimen of this species. As Jerdon dehberately states he procured it him- 
self, we must accept tliis species as having straggled to India ! also, we cannot 
* Keartland, Trans. Boy. Soc. S. Anstr., Vol. XXII., p. 186, 1898. 
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