LOBIVANELLUS LOBATUS.
Wattled Pewit.
Tringa lolmiq, Laflylnd. .Orn. Supp>,g lxr.—TidU. 2nde Edit. du Dirf. d’Hist Nat., tom. n n . p. 209.
Wattled Sandpiper, Lafch^Geii. Syn. Sapp., vol. ii. p. 313; andiGten. Hist., vol. ix. p. 305.
Vanelhis lobatus, IIJ. p. ||lplg
Charadrius lobatus, Sip, 51.
Vanelhis NoveerHollandia, Stegh. jOont.Jof Shaw’s xi. p. 516.
Vanelhis gallmaceus, Jard . vol. iii. pi. 84.
fialloo-nagh, Aborigines of Wales.
Alarm-bird of the 0 olohMsv
THis.specmpi| cbp9mQpiU^str parts of New South Wales, and on some o f the islands in Bass’s Straits,
particularly on Green Island,.where it was breeding at the period of my visit in January 1839. I have
never observed: it i^ ^m ;Bi|^ ^ s^ L an d , improbable that it will hereafter be found to be an
ijdhabitant of that island as well as ''bf'ltbpse above mentioned. It has not yet been observed in Western
Australia, neither have I heard of its occurrence on the northern coast of the continent. It is an attractive
and showy bli*f§ and when unmolested approaches sufficiently cïosé to, the dwellings of'the settlers to
permifc^ ^GtioDs and%anners^tQib||m^U^g observed. ^Ambng other places where Fnqticed ibis species,
I may mention that I saw it in flocks on the edge of the small ponds immediately adjoining the house of
C. Throsby, Esa||atBong Bong, on the fine estate o f1 James Macarthur, Esq., at Gamden, at Yarrundi on
the Upper Hunter'. Open flats and high dry grounds appeared to be equally suitable to its existence ; for
nothing could be more sterile and parched than the islands in Bass’s Straits, when compared with the
humid flats of the Upper Hpnter,. covered with grasses and1" rankwegetation ; ye tin both these situations I
observed it at nearly the same season of the year : its food consists o f insects and worms. While on the
ground it has. much of the carriage of the common European Pewit ( Vanellus cristatus), but a decided
^difference is observable in its mode of running, and in itgv bold and attractive manners. The more
lengthened induces, a considerable d jfe ènce in its flight, which has less o f fhe
flapping laboured action so conspicuous in^hat of |be;Pewit;| *. ■ :.<
In some parts of New South Wales this ornamental bird has beènymueh persecuted, and it has consequently
heeQm^ia|wShynnd: distrustfil'there as it is tame a*nd familiar in others; hence it has obtained
the name of.|he Alarm B ird from its rising in the air, flying round and screaming at the approach o f an
intruder, causing not only all of its i^ ^ p ë c i^ ^ fp llb w its4 example, but every other animal in the district
to be on the alert. This fact I had ample opportunities of verifying on the islands in, Bass’s Straits,
where I had scarcely stepped' frpm| the boat before 'every créature was made acquainted with my presence ;
no small annoyance to me, whose object was to secure the'wary c.ereopsis and eagle, which with thou-
sands of petrels and ,many other kinds of water-birds tenant these dreary, islands.
The sexes are scarcely to b^p ^ M HIshèd from each other, either in size or plumage; and both possess
the spur on the shoulder, but it is much more developed in the male than in the female ; the beautiful
primrose-coloured wattle^ w itl^w ^ ^ ' the colouring of the bill and the bold eye closely assimilate, the
pinky vermilion legs, and the strongly contrasted colours of its plumage, render it one of the most beautiful
o f the P lo y^ S r y^ d ^ g fe^ ^
The eggs, which are placed on the bare ground, uuihbjl? ’
Head, back of the neck, and sides of the chest black ; back, wing-coverts and scapularies dark greyish
brown inclining to cinnamon ; primaries black ; tail white, crossed near the extremity by a broad band of
black ; sides of the face, throat mdkaÛ*thè under surface white ; eye rich primrose-yellow ; wattles primrose
yellow ; bill pale yellow, with a horn-coloured tip ; tarsi purplish red ; scales black; spur yellow.
The figures are those of a male and a female of the natural size.