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Ohservations. — Tlic Cinnamon-coloured Ground Bird is consider- 

 ably smaller than either the Spotted or the Chestnut-back species, 

 and may be easily recognised by the cinnamon colouring of the 

 greater poilion of its plumage. 



It is a dweller chiofly of the great interior, and was first discovered 

 as Gould has stated, by the explorer, Captain Sturt, who obtained 

 a single specimen during his lengthened sojoum at the Depot, a sterile 

 and inhospitable region. Since, many other examples have been 

 collected. 



Tlie first reported specimens of eggs of this species were, many 

 years ago, in the collection of Dr. E. D'Ombrain, and were collected 

 in the interior by his cousin, Mr. A. A. D'Ombrain. 



In 1887 I received a similar pair of eggs from Cooper's Creek, at 

 least, I believe them to be referable to the Cinnamon-coloured Ground 

 Bird, bcca,use they agi'cc with examples in the collection of 

 Mr. G. A. Keartland, who received his from Central Australia, where, 

 during the progi-ess of the Horn Expedition, he observed the birds 

 running over the brown sand or stony ground. On account of the 

 assimilation of the birds' colour to their .surroundings, they were not 

 easily seen until closely approached. The birds appear to live entirelv 

 on the gi'ound, over which they ran rapidly. 



Mr. Keartland's ob.servations duiing the Calvert Expedition 

 arc: — "These birds delight in rough stony country, and were numer- 

 ous around our camp at the camel depot. They lie concealed under 

 low bushes until approached within a few yards, when they fly off 

 to other shelter. Tliey were never seen to perch. Several of their 

 nests were found on the gi'ound under low bushes. In each case 

 the bird had scraped a slight hollow, and lined it with a few acacia 

 leaves. Tlie nest was so loo.sely made that it fell to pieces on being 

 lifted. The clutch consisted of two eggs of a dirty-white gj-ound- 

 colom", heavily blotched with umber-brown and slaty-grey." 



209. ClNCI.OSOMA CASTANEOTHOR.VX, Gould. (274) 



CHESTNUT-BREASTED GROUND BIRD. 



Fit;ure, — Gould: Birds of Australia, fol., supp.. pi 32 

 Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus , vol. vii., p. 335. 



GrtHiraphiail DiffrihnHon. — South Queensland and towards 

 interior pro\'inces. 



N'fxt and Egg/i. — Undescribed. 



Ohservafiiinn.- — For the knowledge of the richly-coloured Chestnut- 

 breasted Ground Bird, Gould was indebted to his brother-in-law. 

 Mr. Charles Coxen, of Brisbane, who first discovered this very distinct 

 species in the sci-ub gi-owing on the tableland northward of the Darling 

 Downs. 

 17 



