BIRDS OF THE LAKES, STREAMS, AND SWAMPS 
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Eggs. —Four, light yellowish-stone to creamy-brown, over which are 
distributed spots, freckles, and blotches of black, and underlying markings 
of inky-grey. Breeding-season: August to December. 
22. Masked Plover Lobibyx miles Boddaert 
Lob-i-byx —Gk, lobos, lobe; Gk, ibyx, a variant of ibis , a bird: mi'-les — 
L., miles , soldier. 
Distribution. —Northern Australia, from Broome (Western Austra¬ 
lia) to Brisbane (Queensland) ; also occurs in the Molucca Islands, Timor, 
Aru Islands, and New Guinea. 
Notes. —Usually in pairs or flocks, frequenting the margins of 
swamps, lagoons, and streams. It is nomadic, although odd pairs will 
remain in a district throughout the year. The call-note of this species 
resembles “Keerk, keerk, keerk,” usually uttered when alarmed or when 
in flight. Food: insects, small crustaceans, and herbage. 
Nest. —A depression in the ground. 
Eggs. —Four, greenish-olive or yellowish-stone, covered with freckles, 
spots, and irregular-shaped markings of olive-brown and blackish-brown 
and underlying spots of dull slate. Breeding-season: January to April. 
23. Spur-winged Plover Lobibyx novce-hollandice Stephens 
novce-hollanduB —of New Holland. 
Distribution .—South-eastern Australia (from Cooper’s Creek, 
central Australia, to the Fitzroy River, central Queensland), and Tas¬ 
mania; accidental to New Zealand. 
Notes. —Also called Wattled Plover and Alarm-bird. Usually in pairs 
or flocks, frequenting the margins of swamps, lagoons, and streams. It is 
very shy and wary, and when disturbed utters a shrill alarm note, warning 
its companions as well as other birds in the neighbourhood. The call-note, 
“Keerk/’ is generally voiced while the bird is in flight, and is mostly heard 
at dusk or at daybreak. Food : insects, small crustaceans, and herbage. 
Nest. —A slight depression in the ground. 
Eggs. —Four, light yellowish-olive or brownish-olive, spotted, freckled, 
and blotched with brownish-black markings and underlying spots of dull 
grey. Breeding-season: July to January. 
24. Banded Plover Zonifer tricolor Vieillot 
Zori-i-fer— L., zona , band; L., fero, I bear: tri-col-or —L., tricolor , three- 
coloured. 
Distribution. —Australia (except the northern portion) and Tasmania. 
Notes. —Also called Black-breasted Plover, Flock Plover, Plain 
Plover, and Tricoloured Plover. Usually in pairs or flocks, frequenting 
well-grassed lands in the vicinity of water, as well as plains far from it. 
It is partly nomadic, its movements from one district to another being 
influenced by the seasonal conditions. Like the other species of Plovers, 
