113.  Eudromias australis, Gould.—­Aust.  Dottrel.

This singular bird like several others of different genera, made its appearance in 1841 suddenly on the plains of Adelaide, seeming to have come from the north.  It occupied the sand hills at the edge of the Mangrove swamps and fed round the puddles of water on the plains.  This bird afforded my friend Mr. Torrens, an abundant harvest, as they were numerous round his house, but although some few have visited South Australia every year, they have never appeared in such numbers as on the first occasion.  The plumage is a reddish brown, with a dark horseshoe on the breast.  It has a full eye, and runs very fast along the ground, Mr. Browne and I met or rather crossed several flights of these birds in August of 1845, going south.  They were in very large open plains and were very wild.

114.  HIATICULA NIGRIFRONS.—­Black-fronted Dotrell.

Much smaller than the preceding.  A pretty little bird with a plaintive note, generally seen in pairs on the edge of muddy lagoons.  Its plumage is a mixture of black, white, and brown, the first colour predominating on the head and breast.  It runs with great swiftness, but delights more in flying from one side of a pond to the other.

115.  Chladorhynchus pectoralis.—­The Banded Stilt.

This singular bird, with legs so admirably adapted by their length for wading into the shallow lakes and sheets of water, near which it is found, is in large flocks in the interior.  It was in great numbers on Lepson’s Lake to the northward of Cooper’s Creek, and on Strzelecki’s Creek was sitting on the water with other wild fowl making a singular plaintive whistle.  It is semipalmated, has black wings, and a band of brown on the breast, but it is otherwise white.  Its bill is long, straight and slender, and its legs are naked for more than an inch and half above the knee.

116.  HIMANTOPUS LEUCOCEPHALUS, Gould.—­The white-headed Stilt.

The present bird is about the size of Chladorhynchus pectoralis, and in plumage is nearly the same.  This bird was not found in the distant interior but in the shallow basin and round the salt lagoons of Lake Torrens.

117.  SCHOENICLUS australis.—­Australian Sand-piper.

A bird very much resembling the British Dunlin.  General plumage, grey with a white breast.  A quick runner, and fond of low damp situations as well as open plains.  Common on the banks of all rivers and lagoons.

118.  Scolopax australis, lath.—­Snipe.

Considerably larger than the Snipe of England.  Common in South Australia but very scarce in the interior.  In the valley of the Mypunga there are great numbers of snipe which build there, but it is only in such localities, where the ground is constantly soft that they are to be found.  Their flesh is delicate and their flavour good.