UH'i TURNIC1I).«. 



from December to March. During the journey of the Calvert Exploring Expedition across the 

 Great Desert of North-western Australia, from June to November, 1S96, these birds were 

 particularly numerous. We never travelled one liundred yards, for five weeks, without birds being 

 disturbed by the camels, from two to four being on the wing at one time. Whilst passing through 

 some miles of short Triodia, I frequently counted from twelve to seventeen running on the bare 

 places like fowls in a farm yard. In the early morning the old hen birds, accompanied by their 

 broods, often ran round our camp fire in quest of food scraps. Although they appear to be 

 indifferent to the proximity of water as a general rule, when the hot weather approaches they 

 travel southwards, and their presence in large numbers near Melbourne is a sure indication of a 

 drought in the interior. When flushed they generally Tiiake two or three squeak'ing notes lik'e a 

 young Stubble Quail. Their food consists of Triodia, I'ovtulaica and otiier small seeds, insects, 

 etc. The newly hatched young are dark brown, and suggest the idea (jf being miniature brown 

 Leghorn chickens." 



Mr. Tom Carter wrote as follows from Broome Hill, South-western Australia: — "In 

 Western Australia the habitat of the Swift-flying Turnix (Tuniix vclox ) appears to be the reverse 

 of T. varia, as it is very common in the North-western District after rains, but I have never yet 

 met with it in the South-west. The farthest point south at whicli I ha\e noted it was near the 

 goldiields railway, about one hundred and twenty miles east of Perth. At I'oint Cloates it 

 occurred right down to the coast, and bred freely. Apparently it breeds any time when food is 

 plentiful, after rains. Eggs were noted on many occasions between ist July and nth September 

 in different years, but that they also breed after rains in summer is proved by noting young birds 

 from 2i)th March to 14th August." 



Like that of other members of the genus the nest is formed of grasses placed in a hollow of 

 the ground, sheltered behind some convenient tuft of grass or low herbage. 



The eggs are usually four in number for a sitting, and wiry considerably in si/e, and in the 

 form and disposition of their markings. Typically they are inclined to a swollen o\al in shape, 

 although specimens are occasionally found somewhat sharply pointed at the smaller end, the 

 shell being close-grained smooth and lustreless. In ground colour they vary from a dull white 

 to bufl and greyish-white, which is almost obscured by numerous fine freckles and dots of 

 chestnut, wood-brown and violet-grey, evenly distributed over the surface of the shell ; others 

 have small irregular-shaped spots and blotches of reddish-brown and inky-grey scattered o\er 

 the larger end ; some of them are confluent and partly overlie one another, forming small clouded 

 patches, but do not assume the form of a zone. Some of the larger markings are nearly blaclc, 

 and very conspicuous in some specimens, while in others all the markings are very small and 

 faint, and have that mixed pepper and salt hue often found on the egi^s of I iiriii\ varia. A set 

 of four taken by Mr. E. L. Ramsay on the nth September, 1SS9, on Wilgaroon Station, New 

 South Wales, measures : — Length (x\) 0-92 x 073 inches; (B) eg x 072 inches; (C) o-gi x 

 073 inches; (D) 0-92 x 073 inches. A set of four taken by Mr. C. Ernest Cowle, on the i8th 

 June, 1895, at Illamurta, Central Australia, measures : — Length (.\) 0-93 x o-Sg inches; (B) 

 0-87 X 073 inches; (C) 0-89 x o-Cig inches; (D) o'8g x 072 inches. Another set of four 

 talcen by him in the same locality on the 12th April, 1896, measures: — Length (A) o'95 x 075 

 inches; (B) o-gi x 074 inches ; (C) o-g3 x 075 inches; (D) o-g2 x 074 inches. A set of 

 four talcen by Mr. C. G. Gibson on the 30th October, 1908, near Eyre, Western Australia, 

 measures: — Length (.A) 0-98 x 074 inches ; (B) i-02 x 0-67 inches; (C) i-oi x 076 inches; 

 (D) I x 076 inches. 



September and the three following months constitute the usual breeding season in the inland 

 portions of Eastern .Australia. It is, however, governed by the rainfall, and nests with eggs or 

 young may be found throughout the remaining months of the year. In Central Australia it is 

 usually in the autumn or early winter months. 



