730 NESTS AND EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



ORDER— HEMIPODII: HEMIPODES. 



FAMILY— TURNICID^ : HEMIPODES. 



566. — TuRNix MACULOSA, Temminck.— (481) 

 T. melanotus, Gould. 



BLACK-BACKED QUAIL. 



Figure. — Gould: Birds of Australia, fol., vol. v., pi. 84. 



Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. xxii., p. 546. 



Previous Description of Egg. — North : Rec. Austn. Mus,, vol. ii., 

 p. 20 (1892). 



Geogra-phical Distribution. — Northern Territory, Queensland, New 

 Soutli Wales, Victoi-ia and South Australia,; also New Guinea and 

 Celebes. 



Nest. — Similax to that of the other members of the genus. 



Eggs. — Clutch, four; inclined to pyi-iform, or roundish nuich com- 

 pressed at one end ; textiu'e of shell fine ; surface glossy ; coloiu', whitish 

 or pale buff, thickly freckled all over with cinnamon-brown and umber, 

 interspersed with blotches of dark-brown or black and grey. Dimensions 

 in inches of a clutch -. (1) -95 x -75, (2) '93 x -73, (3) -92 x -74, (4) -9 x -75. 



Observations. — The Black-backed Tm'nix or Quail, although nowhere 

 plentiful, enjoys a wide range of habitat. It loves such situations as 

 the rank, marshy places of the northern and eastern coastal scrubs, as 

 well as islands contiguous to these parts. 



For many years I had a pair of eggs, undoubtedly of a Tumix, La my 

 collection, but referable to none of the eggs then described. On my 

 visit to Coomooboolaroo, Queensland, 1885, I noticed a pair of exactly 

 similar eggs in Mr. Geo. Barnard's collection, also without a name. 

 Subsequently, in the same locality, other eggs were taken and the bird 

 shot, which proved to be T. maculosa (tnelanotusj. 



A fine and full set that graces my cabinet was taken by Mr. S. W. 

 Jackson in the Clarence River scrub, on the 16lh February this year. 

 These eggs may be characterised as the darkest coloured of those of the 

 small Tiu-nixes. 



567. — TuRNix MELANOGASTER, Gould. — (479) 

 BLACK-BREASTED QUAIL. 



Figure. — Gould: Birds of Australia, fol., vol. v., pi. 81. 



Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. xxii., p. 550. 



Previous Descriptions of Eggs. — Campbell : Southern Science Record 



(1883), also Nests and Kggs -Vustn. Birds, pi. 2, fig. 479 (1883) ; 



North: Austn. Mus. Cat., p. 285 pi. 16, fig. 11 (1S89). 



Geographical Distribution. — Queensland and New South Wales. 



