THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA 
8*4 
within settled districts, very little is known of its habits while in 
Australia. Food: insects and worms. 
nest. A depression in the ground. 
eggs. Three or four, pale stone-colour, blotched all over, but more 
so on the larger end, with dark purplish-red spots and underlying 
markings of lavender. Breeding-season: May and June (Japan). 
14. Pin-tailed Snipe Ga.llina.go megala Swinhoe 
meg'-al-a'— Gk, megas (megalos ), large. 
distribution. Eastern Siberia, migrating southwards to the Malay 
Archipelago to New Guinea and northern Australia. 
notes. Also called Large Pin-tailed Snipe and Little Australian 
Snipe. Usually in flocks, arriving in Australia during September or 
October, departing in March or April. It frequents moist, marshy 
country and swamps, and is similar in habits to the Australian Snipe. 
nest. A depression in the ground, lined with grass. 
eggs. Four, creamy-white or pale ochre, spotted with pale reddish- 
brown on the smaller end and dark reddish-brown on the larger end, 
with dots and stripes on the rest of the surface. Breeding-season: June. 
15. Painted Snipe Rostratula australis Gould 
Ros-tra'-tu-la- L., rostratulus, diminutive of rostratus, beaked: australis 
—southern (Australian). 
distribution. Australia (except central Australia) and Tasmania. 
notes. Also called Australian Painted Snipe and Australian Rhyn- 
chaea. Usually in pairs, frequenting the margins of swamps and 
streams, more especially those covered with low and stunted vegetation. 
It is partly nomadic, generally arriving in New South Wales during 
September or October, remaining to breed, and departing again in 
February or March. Occasionally odd pairs remain in a locality through¬ 
out the year. When flushed, it flies close to the ground, making for 
the nearest cover, and is then exceedingly difficult to flush again. 
Food: insects and worms. The female is larger and brighter in colour 
than the male, especially on the wings, and also differs in having the 
hind-neck chestnut. ° 
nest. A shallow depression in the ground, lined with grass or leaves 
and frequently sheltered by a low bush or tuft of grass. 
eggs. Four, creamy-white or dull yellowish-stone, covered with short 
thick streaks and irregular-shaped spots and blotches of black, with 
which are intermingled a few spots of brown, brownish-black, and 
underlying markings of grey. Breeding-season: October to January. 
16. Little Grebe Podiceps nificollis Vroeg 
Po'-di-ceps- an abbreviation 
L., pes, foot: ru-fi-coll'-is- L., 
of Podiceps- L., podex (podicis ), rump; 
rtifus, red, L., collum , neck. 
distribution. 
Caledonia. 
Eastern hemisphere, Australia, Tasmania, and New 
