112 BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 



^PECTORAL KAIL 

 {HypotcEiiidia philippinensis, Linn.) 



Male. — Crown of the head ohve-brown spotted with black; 

 lores dusliy-brown, becoming rufous on the sides of the neck ; 

 distinct white eyebrow; hind-neck ferruginous, with black centres 

 to the feathers; feathers of the back black, with ochraceous 

 edges and spangled with white spots; lower back, rump, and tail 

 ochraceous-brown, with black centres to the feathers ; wing coverts 

 similar colour to back, no spots of white on lesser and median 

 series, but large ones on greater series; primary coverts rufous, 

 tipped with olive-brown and banded with black; quills also rufous, 

 but tipped as well as banded with black; secondaries blackish, 

 tipped with ochraceous-brown; cheeks and fore-neck ashy-grey, 

 washed with brown ; throat white ; remainder of under surface white, 

 barred with black; flanks barred black and white; across the breast 

 a broad zone of reddish-buff; under wing coverts black, edged 

 with white; bill pale reddish-brown; legs and feet greyish-brown. 

 Dimensions in mm. : — Length, 295; bill, 33; wing, 147; tail, 66; 

 tarsus, 39. 



Fe^nale. — Similar to male. 



Young. — " The colours generally are duller, the pectoral band 

 is reduced to a mere wash of yellowish-brown, and the bars on the 

 under j)arts of the body are far less conspicuous than in the 

 adult" (Buller). 



Nestling. — " Covered with glossy black down " (Buller). 



Nest. — Composed of dry grass and leaves placed in a depres- 

 sion among herbage in the vicinity of water. 



Eggs. — Clutch five to eight usually; roundish oval in shape; 

 texture fine; surface fairly glossy; colour pinkinsh-white, with a 

 few bold, round blotches of reddish-brown, purple, and purplish- 

 grey. Dimensions in mm. of a clutch : — (1) 35 x 25, (2) 36 x 

 25, (3) 35.5 X 24.75, (4) 35 x 25.5, (5) 36 x 26, (6) 36 x 25.' 



Breeding Season. — September to December. 



Geographical Distribution. — Tasmania, Australia in general. 

 New Zealand, many of the Pacific Islands, and right up to the 

 Philippines. 



Observations. — The Laud Rail, as this bird is frequently 

 termed, is but a summer visitor, arriving about August and de- 

 parting about February. Unfortunately, I have not sufficient data 

 to determine with certainty the exact dates of arrival and 

 departure. In very few, if any, localities in Tasmania is this Rail 

 even comparatively plentiful. On account of its shy, retiring dis- 

 position, it is but seldom seen unless S])ecially searched for. It 

 escapes observation by running rapidly through the thick vegeta- 

 tion of its haunts; only when hard pressed does it take flight. 

 The localities mostly favoured by this species are grassy flats 

 between hills, whence there is always an abundant supply of 



