CINCLOSOMA 325 



surface. In a set before me the specimens are broadly blotched all over, in another they are 

 very small and confined almost to the larger end. .\. set of two, taken at Copmanhurst, 

 New South Wales, measures: — Length (A) 1-28 xo-t)^ inches; (B) i'3xo-96 inches. A set 

 of two, taken at Cheltenham, \'ictoria, measures: — Length (A) i'23 x cSy inches; (B) i'25x 

 0-85 inches. 



Young birds have the general colour above dull ashy-brown, the apical portion of the 

 featliers of the back and rump dull rufous, and having distinct blackish margins; upper tail- 

 coverts ashy-brown with blackish centres; under surface pale buff, whitish on the centre of the 

 breast, all the feathers having more or less distinct blackish tips or margins, especially those on 

 the fore-neck; under tail-coverts pale buff with a longitudinal streak of black down the centre. 

 Wing 4 inches. 



The first indication of the sex of the young male is seen in some specimens in the blackish 

 wash on the lores, and some of the dull whitish feathers on the throat are mottled with blue- 

 black, and the black markings on the upper parts and on the sides of the body are darker and 

 more distinct than in the adult female. In others the lesser upper wing-coverts are black, and 

 there is a broken band formed by subterminal black spots on the lower dark grey feathers on 

 the fore-neck. 



The breeding season of this species commences in August, and continues until the middle 

 of February, but nests with eggs are usually found from September to December. In A'ictoria 

 I liave found their nests generally in October; but in New South Wales I have seen eggs that 

 were taken at the end of August, and young birds fully fledged in September. At Stony Pinch, 

 Copmanhurst, Mr. Savidge pointed out a nest to me that he had taken eggs from on the loth 

 October; while at Lithgow, Mr. Robt. Grant found a nest about the same date containing a 

 newly hatched young one and a chipped egg. There are undoubtedly two, if not three broods 

 reared in the season, for I have seen two fresh eggs that were taken near Bathurst on the 27th 

 January, 1893; and, in company with Mr. Frank Hislop, a fledging was captured in the low 

 undergrowth at Roseville in March, 1902. I kept it for a day and a night, during which 

 time it uttered a note like a young chicken, and then took it to the same place and restored it 

 to liberty. 



Cinclosoma castanonotum. 



CHESTNUT-BACKED GROUND-THRUSH. 

 Cinclosoma castanonotus, Gould, Proo. Zool. Soc, 1840, p. 113; id., Bds. Austr., fol., Vol. IV., pi. 



5 (1848). 

 Cinclosoma castaneonotum, Gould, Handhk. Bds. Austr., Vol. I., p. 4.3.5 (186.5). 



Cinclosoma castanonotum, Sliarpe, Cat. Bds. Brit. Mus., Vol. VIE , p. 333 (1883); id., Hand-1. Bds., 

 Vol. IV., p. 2 (1903). 



Adult male — General colour above rich broivn; scapulars, lower back, and rump, dark reddish- 

 chestnut; upper tail-coverts broivn; u/iper wiiuj-coverts black, tipped tvith white; quills dark brown, 

 margined e.Hernally tvith lighter brown, the outer webs 0/ some of the primaries edged with dull white 

 in the centre, the apical portion of the outer web of the outermost feather wldle; central tail feathers 

 brown, the remainder blackish brown gradually passing into black on the outermost featlter, and all 

 largely tipped with tvhite; lores and feathers below the eye black; a stripe over the eye extending on 

 to the sides of the nape, and a broader one reaching from the base of the lower mandible to the sides 

 of the neck tvhite; ear-coverts brown; chin, centre of the throat, and fore-neck, glossy black; breast 

 and abdomen pure white, the outer webs of the feathers at the sides black; sides of fore-neck and 



