Upper grayish-brown; under white; flanks, breast barred grayish-brown; upper base tail white barred black; brighter in far north; f., sim. Insects, worms.
=105 Eastern Knot= (Japanese), Great Sandpiper, _T.
crassirostris_, E. Sib., Jap., Ind. to A.
[~105 _Canutus magnus._]
Mig. v.r. _shore_ 11.5
Crown, neck, brownish-gray; back, wings brown; rump white; tail brownish-gray; breast dark-brown marked white; abdomen white; bill olive, 1-3/4 in.; brighter in far north; f., sim.
Insects, worms.
[Page 50]
[Illustration: [106] [107] [108] [109] [110]]
1 23
=106* Australian Snipe= (Japanese, Latham), Jack Snipe, Bleater, Long-bill, _Gallinago australis_, Jap., Formosa, to A., T., N.Z. =vt. Eur. Snipe.
Mig. c. _swamps_ 9.5
Richly mottled; crown blackish with buff line along centre; face, chin buff; breast, washed reddish-brown; brown bars on flanks; back mottled brownish-black; under wings finely barred black, white; chestnut band on tail; two black lines on face; bill 2.7 in.; f., sim. Insects, worms.
1 3
=107* Australian-Painted Snipe=, Australian Rhynchaea, _Rostratula australis_, A.
Mig. v.r. _grassy_, _bush_ 9.5
Beautiful mottled dotted; crown dark-brown, with buff line; throat, chest dark, chin lighter; wing brown, spotted black, white, buff; abdomen white; long straight bill 1.7 in.; m., duller, smaller. Insects, worms.
[Page 51]
F. 37. PARRIDAE (1), PARRA, Jacana, Water-Pheasant, 11 sp.--2(1)A., 3(2)O., 3(3)E., 1(0)Nc., 4(3)Nl.
F. 38. _Cursoriidae_, Coursers, 15 sp.--3(2)O., 1(0)P., 13(12)E.
F. 39. GLAREOLIDAE (2), PRATINCOLES, Swallow-Plovers, 10 sp.--2(0)A., 4(1)O., 3(0)P., 7(5)E.
1 1
=108 Australian Pratincole=, Swallow-Plover, _Stiltia isabella_, Borneo, Java to A., N.Z. =vt. Eur. Pratincole.
Mig. v.r. _(interior) rivers_, _marshes_ 9.5
Upper, wings, breast light-rufous, throat whitish; abdomen chestnut; base tail above, below white; centre tail black, rest white; bill red, tipped black, swallow-like flight; f., sim. Insects.
F. 40. _Dromadidae_, Crab-Plover, 1 sp.--1(0)O., 1(0)E.
F. 41. OEDICNEMIDAE (2), STONE-CURLEWS, Stone-Plovers, Thick-Knees, 13 sp.--2(1)A., 3(1)O., 1(0)P., 7(6)E., 3(3) Nl.
1 1
=109* Southern Stone-Curlew= (-Plover) Willaroo, Scrub Curlew, _Burhinus grallarius_, A., T. (acc.).
Stat. c. _sandy plains_, _timber_ 20.5
Crown, upper dark-gray, marked black; round eye white; throat buff; chest, abdomen whitish, streaked blackish; white patch on wing; legs long; bill short, black; f., sim. Insects, berries. "Wee-lo."
F. 42. OTIDIDAE (1), BUSTARDS, 33 sp.--1(1)A., 7(2)O., 7(2)P., 23(21)E
1 5
=110 Australian Bustard=, Wild Turkey (e), _Eupodotis australis_, A.
[~110 _Choriotis australis._]
Mig. r. _plains_ 48
Crown black; face, neck grayish-white; upper, wings brown; wings spotted black-white; black band on chest; abdomen white; f., smaller. Seeds, grass, lizards, insects.
Australia, fortunately, has one representative of Order XI.--Cranes.
This is the Native Companion, the only true Crane found in Australia.
These are interesting birds, with their "quadrille parties,"
"corroborees," and dances. They live chiefly on vermin--insects, lizards, &c. The great Gould said: "Its presence adds greatly to the interest of the scenery." Would that more Australians thought so!
Cranes are amongst the best of flyers. They are said to fly sometimes at a height of from three and a half to five miles, and have been seen to cross lofty mountains in Central Asia without increasing their altitude. Perhaps because of its inappropriate name--Native Companion--some have proposed to regard this bird as the typical Australian bird, but it is not so. In fact, it is our one representative of an almost world-wide group.
[Page 52]
[Illustration: [111] [112] [113] [114] [115]]
ORDER XI.--GRUIFORMES.
F. 43. GRUIDAE (1), CRANES, 19 sp.--1(1)A., 8(2)O., 9(1)P., 7(5)E., 3(0)Nc., 2(0)Nl.
1 3
=111 Australian Crane=, Native Companion, Brolga, _Antigone australasiana_, A.
[~111 _Mathewsia rubicunda._]
Nom. r. _plains_ 42
Deep silvery-gray; wing-quills black; naked red patch about face, throat; legs, feet black; f., smaller. Insects, lizards, bulbous roots, seeds.
F. 44. _Aramidae_, Courlans, Limpkin, 2 sp.--1(0)Nc., 2(1)Nl.