THE BIRDS OE AUSTRALIA. 
In the district of Geelong, Victoria, they used to be extremely numerous, and 
nested freely in the furze hedges and samphire bushes, both birds assisting 
in the task of incubation. The nests are beautifully constructed, formed of 
long dry grass stems, the rim at the top of the cup being spread out flat, some 
pieces of the grass projecting away from the nest several inches, giving it an 
irregular appearance on the outside, but the deep cup is very neatly finished, 
lined with roots and horsehair, if available, and they generally seem to manage 
to find a little somewhere. Three eggs usually form a clutch, but occasionally 
four or even five are found. This bird has the same peculiar habit as the 
Black-breasted Plover, some of the Ducks and other species, of fluttering off the 
nest and along the ground, to all appearance with a broken leg and wing. 
This has long been looked upon as a cunning practice to draw an intruder 
away from the nes£, and there is no doubt this does certainly appear to be 
the case, but I cannot quite believe the birds adopt these habits with any 
artfulness of mind, but that it is simply an act of fear. However, giving the 
birds credit for this brain power or not, it sometimes works, as I have seen small 
boys and dogs drawn away from the nest thinking they could capture the bird.” 
Mr. F. E. Howe has written me : “ Has been noted for Ringwood and 
Ferntree Gully and is partial to the open flat country. This little creature 
is very quick in its movements and is one of the few birds that walk. It is a 
very early breeder, and when the nest is discovered endeavours to entice one 
away by feigning a broken limb. The female alone undertakes the task of 
incubation, the male feeding her on the nest.” 
Mr. L. G. Chandler writes : “I noticed young flying at the You-Yangs 
on August 31st, 1908. Around Bayswater and Croydon (all in Victoria) they 
breed much later. They congregate into small flocks soon after the young 
have left the nest.” 
Mr. E. J. Christian has sent me the following note from Victoria : “ This 
is a very common bird here now, but a few years ago they were to be found 
only in a large swampy part of the Station. Up till 1906 only odd pairs were 
seen ; in 1907 I was surprised at their numbers everywhere I went, except 
perhaps thickly timbered country, I found them very plentiful. It is not 
migratory but nomadic, although south of the Divide it is not so common 
during the cold months. In March and April 1907 the dams were very low* 
and the swamps empty. One day we pumped wuter into one of the tanks 
from the Creek, and as it was a still morning we could hear the water falling 
into the dam 2f miles away. Before we started to pump there were very 
few of these birds about, but almost at once the ground became covered with 
them and they waded about with evident pleasure. They are extremely 
graceful when walking, but they are not very graceful fliers. When they 
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