NESTS AXD EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 731 



Xest. — Merely a slight dcpi-essioii in the ground, in grassed or oijeu 

 scnib country. 



JUgys. — Clutch, three to four; round oval in shape; texture of shell 

 fine ; surface glossy ; colour-, dii'ty white, finely spotted over the whole 

 suiiace with light-brown or umber, and moderately marked with large, 

 bold, roundish blotches of very dai'k bi-own or black, also with a few 

 bluish-grey blotches. Dimensions in inches of odd examples : 

 (1) 1-1 X -88, (2) Mx-86. 



Observations. — This interesting species of Quail or Tumix appeals 

 to have a somewhat restricted range in Queensland and part of New 

 South Wales. 



The first specimens of eggs I ever received of the Black-breasted 

 Quail were from the collection of the late Mr. Geo. Barnard, Coomoo- 

 boolaroo. They were foiuid in a belt of brigalow scrub on his nui. 

 Mr. Barnard wrote : " Black-breasted Quail — 12th Decembex-, 1882. 

 Blacks brought me three fi'esh eggs, found far in the dense scrub. The 

 bu'd always inhabits the scrub, and is very shy and rare." 



Subsequently, when relating to me from his pleasant store of field 

 incidents he mentioned one regarding the Black-breasted Quail. He 

 was felling a bottle-tree ( Sterculiu) for fodder for cattle during a 

 drought. When the topmost branches reached the groiuid they 

 enveloped a brooding bird that had been sitting closely upon her eggs 

 all the time, unknown to the tree faUers. Only when the foliage came 

 so rudely about her was she flushed, which led to the discovery of the 

 nest with three eggs. 



568. — TuRNix VARiA, Latham. — (480 and 480a) 

 T. scintiUans, Gould. 



PAINTED QUAIL. 



Figure. — Gould : Birds ol Australia, fol., vol. v., pis. 82 and 83. 



Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. xxii., p. 551. 



Previous Descriptions of Eggs. — Gould : Birds of Australia (1848) ; 

 also Handbook, vol. ii., p. 180 (1865) ; Campbell : Victorian 

 Naturalist (1889); North: Austn. Mus. Cat., p. 285 (1889). 



Geograjjhical Distribution. — Whole of Australia and Tasmania. 



Nest. — A shght depression in the grotmd, sometimes lined with a 

 little grass or fine leaves, and sheltered by a tussock, stone, &c., usually 

 in an exposed, dry locality. 



Eggs. — -Clutch, four ; roundish in shape, more compressed at one 

 end; texture of shell fine; siirface glossy ; colour, whitish, minutely but 

 boldly freckled with hght or cinnamon-brown and umber, interspersed 

 with slightly larger markings of dark purple or black and bluish-grey. 



