An Australian Bird Book Part 15

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= (j.a.panese), Great Sandpiper, _T.

cra.s.sirostris_, E. Sib., j.a.p., Ind. to A.

[~105 _Canutus magnus._]

Mig. v.r. _sh.o.r.e_ 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.

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[Ill.u.s.tration: [106] [107] [108] [109] [110]]

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=106* Australian Snipe= (j.a.panese, Latham), Jack Snipe, Bleater, Long-bill, _Gallinago australis_, j.a.p., 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.

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=107* Australian-Painted Snipe=, Australian Rhynchaea, _Rostratula australis_, A.

Mig. v.r. _gra.s.sy_, _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.

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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.

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=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

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=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, gra.s.s, 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 alt.i.tude. 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.

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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.

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=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.